Redux 1: The Watchman
by Someone072
Summary: After being drugged with a new street drug "White Rabbit", Beast Boy will set out on a journey of self-discovery and vengeance as he takes on the role of Jump City's unseen, unsung hero: "The Watchman". Rated M for drug use, violence, sexual themes, language, and mental scarring.
1. If You Go Chasing Rabbits

A/N: Not another re-write. The ideas I developed in Man with Emerald Eyes, Paradise Lost, and Four of a Kind grew larger than the 2nd draft contained. Plus the series, as a whole, wasn't nearly as dark as it could be (and should be). So, like a broken record, one more attempt at the series. It's going to be a long one, all in one story (no more individual ones).

**If You Go Chasing Rabbits...**

---

_There's no way to tell when it really all began. When the Brotherhood came crashing down in Paris, we knew it was the end of an era for the Titans. By now, we'd all aged above eighteen so we decided to drop the "Teen" aspect of our name. Maybe that was fitting because we were moving into adult territory, League-level threats that would go beyond Jump City. But, not just yet, not in 2007 as we decided. Jump City still needed us and perhaps we needed it too. But, like any unhealthy "need", there comes a time when that very need comes back to hurt you..._

_---_

_The Autumn of 2006 was coming to a close and we decided to celebrate the year we defeated Brain's army with a three-day weekend blowout. The Titans East and our fellow Titans across the globe would be coming to celebrate. Before they arrived, however, Robin suggested we should go out on the town and have some fun as a group before the Tower became a noisy wreck. At the time it was a smart idea, we hadn't really been out on a full-night spree in almost two years. _

_By now our group had become six, three women and three men. Jinx decided to stay on in Jump City while Kid Flash headed off for Titans East. They were still friends after the Brotherhood incident but old habits must die hard. There were rumors that Kid Flash was something of a flirt, even by my standards, and Jinx threatened his life several times if he tried. Although I was skeptical of her joining our team, after a few weeks and Starfire's happiness of having another woman in the Tower, I guess I felt easier than our leader._

_Not that Robin was paranoid of her, Jinx's actions in Paris helped cement what professional doubts he had in mind. Though I can only imagine what he felt for her as a human being... To his credit, he seemed to really enjoy the relative calm following the fight in Europe. After our visit to Japan awhile back, Starfire must have found a way to calm him down. It's really funny the way they try to hide it from us but we all know, even before they finally got together. Surprising too how impressed he was with my performance guiding the other Titans to rally in Paris. Dare I say but I think I might have even rocked his view of me to his core. From the way he gave that little extra boost in his opinions and compliments of my results to suggestions on how to be a better tactician and leader, he really opened up._

_As for Star, Raven, and Cyborg, they too were just glad to be home, no major villains or organizations threatening their lives. Ever since Raven's defeat of Trigon in 2005, I might even say she's begun to open up to the world. Little laughs here, jokes there, and the ways she even behaves around Star..._

_We were all blessed. The Titans were on a great high, optimism about the future through the roof, nothing could bring us down..._

_...._

_What a bunch of fools we were._

_---_

_After dinner at the pizzeria, we decided to crash a warehouse rave down by the city's docks. It always amazed me how much everyone left us alone at those events. In those days, people would swarm us in public for autographs and pictures. At the clubs though, people were happy to buy us a drink or good conversations. Of course most of the people there were barely college age and not exactly the groupie variety, in my case at least._

_I honestly felt worse for Cyborg then. We had, in my opinion, three of the best-looking women in the city with Starfire, Jinx, and Raven. Including myself, Robin was a city-wide heartthrob that Starfire would have to keep hordes of women away with her energy bolts. But Cyborg would always be hampered by his condition, no matter how many holorings he could use to hide his real self. If he still harbored ill-feelings, he hid them well as he danced with several ladies in attendance. Some nights you could still see Vic Stone in his place rather than Cyborg; it was a very good sight._

_We'd see little of Robin and we all knew that much. Starfire would drag him, unknowingly, onto the dance floor and throw him about in the latest Tamarian style. The poor man, for all his physical build and strength, looked like a ragdoll in the hands of an ADHD-riddled child. _

_As for the girls, Jinx and Raven made it well-known that they weren't into dancing like the rest of the group. They moved to the dark corner somewhere, a drink in hand, to watch the crowd with the scrutiny of scientists watching mice. You'd never suspect that Raven and Jinx used to be polar opposites on the battlefields nor that they'd make so fine a friendship..._

_---_

_I enjoyed myself as I used to do. A few songs with the ladies, the few I could find that wouldn't mind my green skin and cheesy pick-up lines. They'd leave as soon as some muscle-head jock or smooth-talking, slick pick-up artist would appear. Rejection was something that always hit hard, especially when you've only months removed from seeing the one you loved walk away, trying to forget the life the two of you tried to build. It was the first time in awhile but I found myself retreating to the concessions stand. The lack of strobe lights and people was welcome, I needed the moment to collect myself. _

_I didn't know any other way not to think of her. So many blonde women out there that fit her description but none of them had her personality, her strength. She was still in school but most of those plastic women were probably in their first two years of college while we were charged with protecting them. How many times we saved their lives and the best thanks I would get from them wasn't an opportunity, it was usually a "That's cool. Hey, you're a really nice guy... but.." and whatever else came out was just like their gratitude: pure bullshit..._

_"Need a drink, man?"_ _a voice called behind me, it caught me off-guard. I looked back and saw a man with green eyes, though the glinting light on them proved they were contacts. That cheesy, half-minded grin on his face, loose white clothing like a beach bum... And on top of his head, that ridiculous red and yellow Jester hat..._

_"Yeah, got any lemonade?"_

_A quick fill of the cup, he handed it over to me. "Seventy-five."_

_Reached into my pocket and gave him two quarters, a nickel, and two dimes. Too sweet, not enough room to taste the lemon on the tip of your tongue. When you have a stronger-than-human sense of taste, you can appreciate things most people can't. Lemon should dance with the sides of your mouth but reveal itself through the tip of your tongue. _

_"It's a bit sugary, isn't it?" I asked, holding the cup in his direction._

_The bastard just smiled at me "Home made and sweet, just like my baby likes it." His smile faded a bit as his eyes met mine "You look like you have a lot on your mind."_

_I needed another sip of that over-sugared lemonade. "Just thinking about an old ex of mine." Could I even call her an ex? We hung out a few times, true, but we never really decided to.._

_"Ah, I see. It sucks being single, I know that. Was alone for almost three years before I found my baby girl."_

_If my glare could kill it, would only maim him from the angle but the intent was there. "How long?"_

_"Four months but I think she's the one." I hoped that chair would break as he leaned back on it. This was gloating but the prick probably didn't realize it at all._

_"Congratulations."_

_"Thank you."_

_It got quiet for a moment after that, my eye was trained on the dance floor. Robin somehow convinced Star to slow down enough for him to try and dance with her rather than being flung around. Couldn't see Raven or Jinx, even with my sensitive eyes. Cyborg was up at the DJ's booth then and it would only be a matter of time before he'd be the one in control of the music._

_"Hey, can I ask you somethin' dude?" the guy asked me. I didn't want to look back at him but I thought one question couldn't hurt._

_"Shoot."_

_"What's it like, y'know, being a superhero? I always wanted to know."_

_The last sip of the lemonade, the question was one I heard a million times. Maybe it was time to be honest with the answer for the first time._

_"It hurts. You're always being beat up, always taking punches, getting thrown around into buildings and glass. People love you but they don't know you, the city thanks you but they're afraid, and you never really fit into society. It sucks at times but you know it's the only thing you're good at."_

_He actually seemed surprised at the answer as well as impressed. "Never heard it like before. You're normally not so up-front when we see you on the news."_

_I wanted more of the rotten stuff. He filled it up for free out of respect for my answer. "You can be honest with a person but if you're honest with the world, you're screwed."_

_That Jester actually clapped. "Finally, a superhero with balls. You gotta talk like that on TV just once. It'll scare all those pussy reporters, that's for sure."_

_And I couldn't help it but I honestly cracked a smile. "Nah, gotta do the good-guy routine to keep the kids happy. We can't all be rebels."_

_"For a guy who says my girl's lemonade's too sweet, you're goin' to town on it." he reminded me, my cup having been nearly emptied again._

_Eyes back on the crowd, I suggested honestly "Sometimes you need a little sweetness to ease away the bitterness."_

_"I heard that."_

_---_

_As the night progressed, I found myself talking with the man I nick-named Jester more and more. I wasn't legitimately interested in him as a friend but he posed some interesting thoughts about the city we lived in. These were the kind of things Raven would probably have found easier to handle but I did my best to keep up._

_"So it doesn't bother the Titans that the gangs are getting big in Jump City?" Jester asked, a cup of lemonade in his own hand._

_"It's something we never really considered. We were tasked with taking down the masks and other threats the city wouldn't take. As far as we're concerned, the JCPD are in control of the drug issue." I was really dipping into Robin's reminder of public relations. I probably sounded like a broken teleprompter with that lame reply._

_A shrug at my reply "True but it's not just masks that cause the city all these headaches. I mean you got the drug cartels, the weapons dealers, the Chinese for God's sake. If something isn't done, they'll be a bigger threat than all the masks put together."_

_Was it my sixth or seventh cup of lemonade? Whatever it was, I needed a refill yet again. "If the JCPD and the city wants us to get involved, we will. But that's a whole new ball game if we do."_

_"People could get hurt you're saying?" Jester suggested. For a bright man, he wasn't very bright._

_"Definitely. It's bad enough the masks cause all the damage to the city but a city-wide war with the drug and weapons cartels could turn out to be a real bloodbath."_

_"Even if it still hurts thousands of others in the process?"_

_Another cup gone, that time in one sip. "We're only human no matter what powers we have."_

_The answer seemed to satisfy him for the moment. For me the night was over as the group approached the table. All of them, minus Raven and Jinx of course, were smiling. It was time to go, the night had run it's course._

_"Thanks for the lemonade and the good talk." As much as that snide smile of his irritated me, I didn't want to just run without a proper goodbye._

_Before I could leave, he tossed me a brownie wrapped in shrink-wrap. "It's on me. No one really bought one tonight, it was a lame event anyway. Have a good trip."_

_It wouldn't be for another hour before I found out how ironic those words were..._

_---_

_With Robin and Starfire taking his motorcycle home, I found myself in the backseat of Cyborg's car with Raven across from me. Not that I didn't want to ride in the front but Jinx wanted to talk with Cyborg and, given the mood I left in, I was happy to give her shotgun. In the back, despite Raven's disgusted glance, I ate the brownie while Cyborg was distracted. Best to keep the brownie crumbs a secret before the tin-can yelled at me for eating in his "baby". It was good, a hint of vanilla and surprisingly honey. It only took a few bites to finish it despite it being the size of my palm. Down the throat, into the stomach, it wouldn't take long for my fast metabolism to digest it. As we pulled into the Tower, neither Cyborg nor Jinx knew I finished my snack... I wish, now, they would have._

_---_

_I was exhausted when I got in the door but I couldn't figure out why. The room wasn't nearly as messy as before but I still had trouble getting to the table to put on the radio. A little Pink Floyd to fall asleep and relax with. Boots kicked off, shirt tossed onto the pile, gym shorts slipped on, I climbed to the top bunk and fell into a sleep seemingly on contact with the pillow. It didn't occur to me that my stomach was feeling upset, I didn't remember that until the next day."_

_...._

_I don't know how long I was asleep when I woke up feeling dizzy. The ceiling seemed to rise and fall on it's own and my eyes felt like they were covered in sand. I rubbed them a few times but the vertigo feeling didn't stop. What began to worry me more, however, wasn't the ceiling rising and settling, it was that the song on the radio wasn't on the Pink Floyd CD I had been listening to._

_"One pill makes you larger..."_

_I sat up slowly and was greeted with the sound of a groan. My head began to feel like two hands were squeezing it tight, I could hardly breathe. The feeling was similar to a long, seven-hour flight on an airplane. You can breathe but the air felt stale no matter how much they pumped in fresh oxygen. And as my eyes looked around the room, I noticed something standing below the entrance of my door._

_A curiously white rabbit, like the one you'd see in Monty Python's "Holy Grail". It was sitting there, staring. It wasn't sniffing the air, it's mouth wasn't moving.. just watching me, staring._

_"...and one pill makes you small"_

_Was it a prank I wondered to myself. Maybe Cyborg left this stuffed rabbit in my room to scare me in the morning. But it's eyes were moving, barely, but noticeable enough to tell it was indeed alive. Bizarre, nothing but. I wisely, sarcasm noted, decided to hop off my bed to investigate..._

_I hit the floor with all the grace of a bag of bricks. Nothing seemed to work, my balance was off as I got back to my feet. The radio, all my clothes and trash, the doorway and the rabbit seemed to bend and contort. Not entirely strange but in the sort you'd see by moving your head back and forth. Whatever song was playing was making me feel uncomfortable and strange, I stress it wasn't Pink Floyd. Before I could touch the radio, the rabbit turned and vanished through the door. Literally phased through it like the Martian Manhunter or any of the other metahumans on the Watchtower. No way, that was too creepy not to follow._

_---_

_The hallway was a dangerous place as I exited my room. The rabbit looked at me from about ten feet away, head bending back to gaze at me with crimson eyes. Even with the door closed, I could hear the song as though I was still right beside it._

_"And the ones that mother gives you, don't do anything at all...."_

_Things became even more scary as the hallway, it's doors along the sides of the walkway, began to stretch into the distance. I brought my hands to my eyes, it reminded me almost of those hypno-screens Mad Mod used to use on his takeover bids._

_"Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall."_

_The hall became frightening, not only did it stretch into the distance but up into the air. I myself remained the same or perhaps I was the one shrinking! Back in the void, the rabbit stood and watched me. He didn't change one bit but those eyes never left me... A devil, it had to be. And yet, as it ran off, I found myself following it. No matter how many times I stumbled and fell, I got back up even as the room began to roll like a ship. The rabbit was never too far away but always beyond my grasp. Where was I going? I didn't understand any of it, all of it felt like a terrible dream I couldn't wake up from. I didn't even want to wake up, just a compulsion to catch the rabbit filled me. _

_---_

_And suddenly, as we arrived in the living room, or what I perceived to be, the music rapidly changed. The rabbit bolted into the distance as a song, the lyrics I later confirmed to be from Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll", began to play. My heart began to pound in my chest, falling to my knees while clutching my chest. No good air to breathe, no way to stop the burning sensations in my heart. Was I on the floor or the couch, maybe the table? There was a window to my left but I didn't want to look... The beating in my chest grew louder and louder, the pain becoming unbearable. And as Zeppelin came to a head, I found myself screaming aloud in agony while Robert Plant wailed in ecstasy..._

_---_

_The next memory of that night comes as Raven and Robin dragged me off the floor and onto a couch. At the time I saw them as a red-eyed, snarling hell-bird and a black-eyed, hissing blood-bird. Those are not technical terms, mind you, but for fuck's sake they looked like birds you'd find in Satan's birdcage. No wonder it took them and Cyborg to pull me onto the couch. Anything I could do to get away from these demons, especially the one clad in gleaming, silver armor and a blue skeleton were the silver armor didn't cover._

_And still the music didn't stop, the sound of Robert Plant being replaced with Eric Clapton's band Cream with a song I found out was called "Crossroads". Pounding, driving, wanted to get away from the demons but I couldn't move. Black fire surrounded me and no matter of struggle would break it. Their eyes were wild, on fire, and seemed to go on forever... At last there was a feeling of silence, of nothingness as the one in armor placed a needle into my skin._

_---_

_Some time later, I woke up in the medical bay. Foggy, barely conscious enough to make out the room, I was thankful that what I could see wasn't distorted. Outside of a splitting headache and a general groggy sensation, everything was ok. When Cyborg, Robin, and Raven entered, I even felt a bit glad to see them. They weren't demons, hell-birds, and evil spirits... They were my friends once again._

_"Beast Boy, can you hear me?" Robin asked me._

_"I'm groggy, not deaf." Maybe the sarcastic reply wasn't necessary but given my condition that night._

_"You're more than just groggy. For the past two hours you've been hallucinating. It took the three of us and some sedatives to calm you down." Robin informed me. I hated it when he took big things and made them sound so gloomy. I thought he was joking but not even Cyborg would offer a smile._

_"From what?" I asked. Hell, those days I didn't even know what would cause a hallucination. Only drug addicts, shamans, and crazy people did that._

_"Your blood's reading an abnormally high substance that's not supposed to be there." Cyborg explained. "I'm still trying to figure out just what it is but I'm guessing it's what's causing you to hallucinate."_

_I stumbled on my response at first. Substances meant drugs, drugs that had to get there in one form or another. "You mean like drugs? I've been drugged?"_

_"You spoke about a rabbit." Raven asked, bringing my attention to the right. "A white rabbit with bleeding eyes."_

_I palmed my face, closing my eyes. That was too much to absorb. "I saw it in my room when I woke up. Things got hazy and I started to follow it. There was the craziest music playing the whole time too. It would go from guitars to Zeppelin to rock and back again... I'm just glad it's over now."_

_Robin, always the bringer of good news, spoke "It's not over. The drug hasn't left your bloodstream yet."_

_When I opened my eyes and looked back at them, I could tell he was right. The rabbit was standing behind them, staring at me once more. And this time, instead of simply red-colored eyes, they were bleeding just like I had said. Empty sockets with blood oozing out like fountains. Their confused stares met my own and all I could do was stare..._

_---_

_I don't remember what happened after that but from what they told me, I stood up and kept looking at the floor behind them. As before, music filled my ears._

_"And if you go, chasing rabbits..."_

_My head snapped towards the window like a predator watching fleeing prey. Before they could stop me, I was running for the window in the shape of a warthog._

_"...and you know you're going to fall..."_

_They told me I changed into a vulture and flew off in the distance._

_---_

_Faint memories. A television glowing in a TV store.... A garbage can with a cat hissing at me... The rabbit running across the roof tops, me in pursuit... No communicator on me, I wouldn't know if the Titans or God himself were calling me. I was on the loose in Jump City, probably a frothing, drooling monster chasing after a rabbit with bloody eye sockets that only I could see. Only God himself knows the things I got into that night. Maybe it was him that helped Raven find me digging a hole in the park..._

_---_

_My return was badly ruined as I broke free of Raven's magic. Starfire's face I clearly remember, those green eyes of her's staring in shock as her friend, the funny Beast Boy, roared in anger and tore away from the group. The rabbit was ahead of me and I pursued. Down the hallways now starting to rain blood, past corridors of rusted steel and flesh.. The music growing louder and louder, the sight of demons, birds, skeletons, and aliens inspiring me to run ever faster. Through all the doors being passed, I could sense where the rabbit was leading me. The smell had given it away even before I got there; the smell of rancid food and unwashed laundry. The rabbit was leading me to the one place I could call my home in this Tower..._

_---_

_When I got into the room, could I even call it that, I knew I was in trouble. The lock was engaged, the Titans were kept at bay for the moment. But as the bloody walls and decaying bits of flesh vanished behind me, the sight before me was far more terrifying. My room had become a graveyard, marked by headstones, dead trees, iron fences, and lightning in the dark sky above. It was like the night I first watched Tales From the Crypt and had nightmares for weeks. I could see the evil rabbit in the distance standing a hundred feet tall but only barely visible in the darkness beyond. _

_What appeared to be stone-cased versions of pizza boxes and flowers in the shape of wrappers and candy started to sprout up from the blackened grass. For the first time since I laid my head on the bed, I honestly felt full control of my body. Of course, the odds were I was merely standing still in my room while my hallucination felt as though I moved across the cemetery in my head. The smell from each bit of rotting food and dirty laundry filled the air with the scent of decay and death, unclean as mud fell from the sky. I fell to the ground, covered my eyes from the globs of wet Earth falling from the dark abyss above.. Why? What was that drug trying to say?_

_"Garfield...." it couldn't be._

_"Gar...field.." no... not those voices._

_"Gar!" Like ghosts... they were ghosts. Like wraiths in the night, fog-like and wispy. They arose from the tombstones, side by side with skeletons for faces but those voices were far too frightening to be coincidence._

_"Mom.. dad..." I walked, dear God did I walk. Towards the ghosts staring down at me, towards that bloody rabbit, towards the darkness without end past rotten corpses and gray skulls, worms withering out of the eyes._

_I could hear the Titans behind me but I couldn't turn back. No, nothing could've made me look back at that moment. I could feel my entire essence crashing down on me like the drain at the bottom of an emptying bathtub._

_And when the feeling ended, the vision of the graveyard vanished into a field of complete fire. The Inferno consumed all, the trees and skulls bursting into flames while blank, inky smoke filled the sky. To my knees I fell, coughing and gagging on the soot and ash all around me. Looking ahead, I could see something far away emerging from the blaze. Rearing up high into the sky, the shape of a massive Scorpion's stinger took to the air. Pincer claws followed suit, an angry demon proclaiming it's hate to the universe. No way to move, no place to run.. This was it. This was how it was all to end. Burned alive in a field of fire while scorpions marched in rage and skeletons burned. Not just burning either but now those bony figures I could see began to dance in the flames, raising swords and spears into the sky far above. Teeth chattering, they laughed a sickening cackle in unison, their unseen eyes filled with blackness like the inside of a light-less cellar. Decaying ravens flew overhead as the fire began to burn blue rather than red, hellish wraiths appearing from the center of the skeleton dance. What kind of damnable, evil drug was this and what kind of sick, twisted psychopath could create it?_

_And as I watched, that's all I could do, the entire scene turned to black embers. The skeletons screamed in terror, the birds falling from the sky, the wraiths tearing apart. The black flames consumed all, casting away the blue fire. In the middle of this wave of black energy, a bird with white feathers came flying towards me. But unlike the normal image of a dove or eagle so common in stories, this bird was an albino Corvus... a Raven sent from Heaven to save what little sanity I had remaining..._

_---_

_No more could I see the landscape of fire and death, only my room remained. How I returned was beyond me, all I could recall was crying. Crying much harder than I had in years, not since the death of my parents. Everything was coming out, all the torture I'd endured in the wake of their death, the pain suffered during my time with the Doom Patrol, all the racism and rejection I found in Jump City, and most of all Terra. _

_And to top it off, I was crying while wrapped up in the ashen arms of my friend and teammate Raven... She offered me assurance that it was over, everything was going to be ok, and to ease my crying. So unlike the cold, emotionless soul we'd all come to know. This was the sight of a mother consoling a frightened son after a hard night of night terrors..._

_---_

_The next day around noon, I found myself sitting on the edge of the tower's roof, staring at the city we called home. I just sat there, staring like a statue but unable to move. Raven had helped suppress the drug in my blood but the damage had been done. Residual traces could be found in my brain and spine, a potential flashback could be triggered from anything as simple as a cracking my back as I stretched. She offered to stay up all night to make sure I didn't have a relapse... I should've felt relieved to have a friend but all I felt was helpless. Like a little child that needed to be babysat in case I had a tantrum. Babysat from the real issue at hand, one that I was discussing no more than fourteen hours prior: Dealing with the drug problem._

_There was no going back. Whether or not it was intentional, the drug cartel had involved me. Someone would have to answer for this and Robin would be upset to hear what I was going to ask of him. He'd say what I wanted to do was entirely spur of the moment, that I hadn't planned it out enough. Too bad. Sometimes things happen to you that are so powerful, so life-changing that you can't plan for them and you can't predict the outcome. Was that one of those moments? I've come to believe so._

_They had chasing rabbits... now I'd be the one chasing them._

_---_

A/N2: Introduction is done. Yes, I moved the series to 2006. After thinking about it time and again, the gap between 2004 and 2006/7 would be too great. Gar wouldn't wait to strike back, he'd do it as soon as possible. Now an older, 19 year old Gar is niave and looking for trouble. Never Fear is coming (and I have NOT been fair to Scarecrow, he's no-where near scary enough in my stories.. yet).

Trivial:  
- References to "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane throughout the intro._  
_


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Not every chapter needs to be 5000 words, sometimes the feeling can expressed in 3. If the chapter seems talk-heavy, deal with it, it's technically the first chapter (chapter one being more of a prologue). And before people complain about "canon" or "rushing things", I'm not following canon yet. I never went into detail the time between the original "Green Rabbit" and "Never Fear" so be happy you're getting some relatively new material.

**If You Go Chasing Rabbits...**

The time had come, there wasn't any going back. After the events of the night prior, there was only one thing that needed to be done to set the wheel in motion. Standing outside the doorway to Robin's room, Beast Boy knocks three times on the door. Unlike the usually punctual Robin, the door doesn't open for a good twenty seconds. Most people would've walked away in that time, thinking he was out or asleep. But to sensitive ears, the sound of rustling papers and a creaking chair is all the sounds he needs to hear.

Door opening, Robin's surprise gives way to concern. "Beast Boy? Hey, sorry, didn't know you were out here." Perhaps if the situation were different, Beast Boy might have become slack-jawed at the sight before him. Nothing to be seen of the dozens of Slade photos, clippings, and evidence. Just a blank wall with an empty pegboard. The surprise, however, is secondary to the thought on BB's mind.

"Sorry if I interrupted, I can come back if..?"

Shaking his head, Robin offers Beast Boy in the room. "No, it's ok. Just doing a little cleaning." As Beast Boy walks in, Robin surmises "I take it this is about last night's incident."

Taking the seat by the desk, the green crimefighter suggests "Yeah but it's about more than just that."

"Really?"

Nodding, Beast Boy begins "It is. Rob, I had a talk last night with a guy from the party who told me about the drug culture growing in the city. I never really wondered why we never chased down the drug gangs until this morning after... that happened. Why don't we?"

Door closed behind them, Robin moves towards his bed, sitting on the edge with folded hands on his lap. "It's all really complicated. I wish we could but it would put our whole mission in Jump City at risk."

"Our _mission_?"

"We're the city's special forces, Beast Boy. We chase the threats the city police can't handle. All the masks, sea creatures, aliens.. that's our jurisdiction." The business tone in Robin seems less powerful than normal. Given the present scenario, the Boy Wonder might actually be feeling sympathetic. "But anything beyond that... like drugs, weapons, immigration, corruption.. that's outside of our mandate. We're under orders not to go after those elements of crime."

"_Orders_? When were we ever given orders and by _who_?" All this time the Titans were under someone's personal _command_?

"Back in 2000 when the city approved the Teen Titans initiative. In exchange for the freedom to act as legalized vigilantes, the Titans would have to leave other issues to the police. We'd serve as the city's special forces against larger threats while the police went after things in their ability."

"But what if the city can't handle this issue? What if it's true drugs are becoming bigger than the city can control?" It all makes sense but it doesn't make sense to just accept it all. "They could use our help."

"No, I won't risk it. Besides, the only person who could approve modifying our orders would be the Mayor and she won't agree to the plan. Trust me, I've tried to get it changed a few years back she wouldn't budge." A hand slides through his black, greased hair. "She just said it would lead to more innocent people being killed. If the criminals knew they had a metahuman threat against them, they might take drastic action."

Looking to his own lap, Beast Boy agrees "It's smart on her part. We'd back them into a corner and they'd fight like animals to escape." A sigh of frustration before he counters "But it still doesn't make it right for them to just outright ban us from stopping these kind of crimes. They can be far more dangerous than the masks can be."

"Much worse. Batman's been fighting them for years and Gotham but they're still present even after the masks became big-time." Robin's stern expression could reveal nightmares from green-haired maniacs, two-faced psychopaths...

"But Jump isn't Gotham, not yet. We can still stop it before the city turns into a hell hole!"

"Beast Boy, please let it go. We'll track down who poisoned you but that's as far as we can go." Robin asks of his friend. It's hard enough that he can't avenge his friend but..

Standing up, Beast Boy asks bluntly "Then who do I go to after that? I'm not looking for the creep who did this, I'm looking for the person who's doing this to the whole city."

Robin stands up too and puts a hand on his friend's shoulder "I know you're angry and you want to punish everyone for doing this but please, Beast Boy please, let it go for just a little while. If you run into this blindly, you're going to get hurt, maybe even killed."

"Robin, you've been a good friend to me all these years and I thank you." Removing the gloved hand of Robin's though, he finishes. "But I need to do this. This was a sign and my eyes are wide open."

Turning away towards the door, Robin points out "I don't believe in signs, Beast Boy."

"Well I do. And right now it's saying we might have stumbled onto something that _needs_ us to fix it. Remember the first time you heard Slade's name?"

In the doorway, with his back to Beast Boy, Robin's shoulders can visibly tense up as a sharp inhale of breath enters his lungs. "I'll never forget it."

"Well it's the same with me. All that talk I had last night about drugs with that man then I end up mysteriously drugged up with some shit, god only knows what it is... And yet, even after all that trouble I made last night, we're still here. I'm still alive. And I'm _wanting_ to find the people who did this."

Robin looks back at his friend, unsure expression vs. BB's determined eyes.

"Robin, _please_, tell me how I can get the OK to do this."

A sigh from the man in the mask. This subject won't end until either one relents. And judging from the stoic face on the normally cheerful Beast Boy, this may be one of those times he needs to give in...

---

The city seemed so different than yesterday. Each passing storefront, each face on the people, every vendor and homeless beggar... Not the usual appearance when you look at people as nothing more than background noise. In green eyes, Beast Boy's wide-eyed expression seems akin to his first time in Jump City. Although then the city had been a new sight to him, not the new _perspective_ now entering his mind.

"How many people are there in Jump, Cy?" he asks off-hand to the man at the driver's seat.

"If you count the whole metro area you're lookin' at nearly seven million people." he replies simply but raises his eyebrow. "Any reason?"

Hand on the window, pointing out various individuals, BB notes "They all look different today. It's like they all have a story to tell."

"A.. _story?_"

"Yeah, a story. Normally they'd just be civilians but... they're the people we're supposed to protect." Looking to his friend, now looking back at a red light junction, he states "They are seem much more interesting than before."

Looking back to the road, Cy suggests "Having a life-altering experience can do that to you. When I became like this, everything seemed surreal, you know? Like I'm the only one out there like me and people don't know how easy they have it."

"Amen to that."

"So you're sure about this?" Cy asks, never to late to back out. "You don't want to change your mind?"

Gloved hand on the window, the V-shape between his fingers highlights a young teenaged woman smiling back at him. Her black hair adorned with a white flower, a contrast to the green hair above a smiling, green grin. "I don't have any choice. This city needs it."

"When did you become so wise about all of this? Last week we couldn't get you to stop telling those corny jokes of your's." One especially involving a three-toed midget and a chainsaw in particular, ughh...

"Last week I didn't see skeletons dancing in fire or a rabbit bleeding all over the floor." BB points out bluntly as the car pulls away from the woman whom he was sharing smiles with.

---

In the Mayor's office, Beast Boy sits across from a woman no older than her mid-forties, fire-red head graying with age but still retaining the spark in her eyes. Naturally it could be coming from the request Beast Boy has just leveled on her.

"Absolutely not. If we announce the Titans are going to be fighting the drug cartels.."

"Ma'am, I already know. Robin already told me this morning what you'd say." the young teenager dares despite her look of surprise at being cut off. "There has to be _some_ way you can turn me loose on these criminals. You're the mayor, you can make it happen."

Out of her chair, she moves towards the window. "Reminding me of my position won't help you, young man."

"But it's true, you _are_ the only one who can change the mandate."

Her head turning in negative, she responds "I won't put the city in risk any more than we already have. Five metahumans against regular humans, even if they are criminals, would be a PR nightmare for Jump City. It'd start a national controversy that this office is not prepared to take."

Even BB has to admit she has a point. Not counting the backlash bloodbath, the city would come under the microscope and the Titans would be under even more pressure to abandon their job. But...

"What if you only changed _my_ mandate?"

Turning back around, she eyes up the man in the chair across the table "Excuse me?"

"What if you only allowed me to go after them?" Standing up too, Beast Boy holds a hand to his chest "I'm the only one that wants to do this, right? If you only let me go after them, they can't say anything about it. I can take the heat for all of it."

Hands on the top of her chair, the tone in the room begins to move from a discussion to argumentive real fast. "You're barely old enough to call yourself an adult and you're willing to take on the _entire_ problem by yourself?!"

Eyes narrowing, this wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. Then again, it isn't stopping him from pressing the issue. "I am. I'm tired of sitting on my ass waiting for some mask to appear out of nowhere instead of helping this city like I'm being _paid_ to."

"Do you even understand just what you're getting into?"

That question sets him back for a moment, the obvious answer lost on the deeper question at hand. "To be honest... no. I don't know the entire situation but I also know I can get there if I go for it. I'll learn from anyone you think can help me, anyone. Just give me the chance to make a real difference in this town instead of just posing for news reporters."

"You're crazy. I hate to say it to someone your age but you're downright out of your mind." And yet, she releases a sigh very much like Robin's earlier. "But... you do have a good point. There's six Titans right now and the metahuman problem has been quiet since your group returned from Paris. I suppose sparing _one_ of your group to this issue couldn't do too much damage."

"I'll try my best to keep things as pristine as possible." Relief, the noose has been slipped.

"But not as Beast Boy."

An eyebrow raised, this is very unexpected indeed. "Come again?"

Returning to her chair, the mayor simply informs him "I won't have you doing this as "Beast Boy". I'll allow you to conduct this plan of your's but I won't allow you to do it as a Titan."

"Are you saying I have to _quit_ being a Titan in order to go after the drug lords?" His hand balls up but doesn't come down on the table, his eyes locking with the woman down in the chair across the desk.

"We can't run the risk of a Titan starting trouble for all of us. But if you were to resign, even as just a show, or perhaps even as a new persona, we could both get what we want afterall."

A pause.... that's not a horrible idea but could it work? Sitting back in the chair, a gloved hand cups a green chin. "I never thought of it that way. Do you have something in mind then?"

A smile stretching across her face, she suggests "I don't but I know someone who might. He'll be in contact very soon."

All one can do is hope for the best as the wily, old politician pulls one of her hat.

---

After passing through the metal detectors, Beast Boy resumes his conversation with Robin on his communicator. "She approved the deal but with a few conditions."

_"Such as?"_

"I'll have to resign from the Titans in public or leave for real and adopt a new persona. Either way she wants me to do this on my own, take any crap that comes my way."

_"It's the smart thing to do in her situation. We can't have Jump City turn into a national warzone because of this whole mishap. When do you begin?"_

"She told me she'd contact someone who could help. I don't know when I'll start but I hope it's soon. The quicker I get this underway, the faster the city'll start to heal."

A smile on that masked face. _"I hope so too. See you when you return, Beast Boy."_

Leaving the exit, BB stops as his periphery vision sees a man in a coat approach. "Sorry."

"You didn't even bump into me."

Focusing his attention, it's not the blue 1940's suit, coat, and hat that grabs BB's attention, stealing away his breath: it's the lack of a face. "H-h-holy shit! Dude, what happened to your face?"

"That's a rude thing to ask on an introduction, isn't it? I didn't happen to question you on the color of your skin now did I?" Sarcastic yet dry, smooth-talking and direct, the voice of the League's resident crackpot betrays an intense intellect.

"Sorry about that. But, seriously, you just popped out of no where!... Wait, I know you from somewhere.." Hand on his chin, Beast Boy looks closer, trying to figure out something in detail. "Didn't you try to, you know, kill Lex Luthor awhile back?"

Turning his back, Question moves for the blue Shelby parked in a spot a brief walk away. "That's not as important as why we're here. Come, we have things we need to talk about."

Suspicious expression on his face, it takes a second glance from Question to get Garfield Logan moving.

---

Another downtown traffic light, another wait in a line of cars. Beast Boy, however, seems lost to all of this from his discussion. "So, you _really_ are here to help me, huh? Damn, the mayor moved faster than I hoped for."

"I'm here to make sure you don't do something too stupid." Question flatly answers, waiting for the cars with all those supposedly ozone-killing gases coming out of the completely unnecessary but over-hyped...

"Like get everyone killed?"

"That's only possible if you were dealing with terrorists, or at least the people the government likes to point out as _being_ the terrorists."

"Wha?" Nothing but confusion from Beast Boy, this clearly being a subject outside of his limited range.

Looking over at his passenger, Question informs "You're not here to fight some bad guy in a costume. You're trying to take on a criminal system so complex and so coordinated that only a madman would try to take it on alone."

"Really not the optimistic type, are you?"

Eyes back to the road, finally a green light. Why can't they make the time between red and green more _even_, why such a preference for red? "Optimism is better suited for liberals trying to get elected than criminal investigation."

"Dude, enough with the political stuff, ok? We get it, you don't like the government." Folding his arms, BB looks out the window for a moment.

"Not dislike, distrust. And the fact is what you're doing is going to take more than just youthful optimism to work."

"What's it going to take?"

Hitting a hard, right turn towards the Bay Bridge, East-bound, Question warns "Possibly the very death of that optimism."

"Hey, wait a minute. Why are we going over to North Jump?' BB asks, the haven of Jump City giving way to a steel bridge that seems far more ominous than the iconic Golden Gate.

"There's something you'll need to see before you can even begin to chase down those that poisoned you."

...

And as the steel gateway to North Jump begins to recede and the sight of urban decay comes closer, "Beast Boy" Garfield Logan feels a very sudden chill run up his spine. Maybe he was rushing into things far too soon for his own good.

---

A/N2: Welcome to the slums, leave your conscience and your morals at the bridge. Beast Boy's running straight into the fire, wonder what's going to happen. Question's in this story for reasons which will be explained later in the story (believe me, the connections are far deeper than you'd imagine.)

Trivia:  
- Hello Skittles :)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Didn't get to update, work and I got Tattoo number 3 (a bitchin' art of a sour-looking raven standing on a skull, beautiful work.) Thank you for the feedback though this update is a bit shorter than usual. Gar's in for it, the details aren't all revealed but Gar's gonna need to learn quick to catch up.

**If You Go Chasing Rabbits...**

The look of apprehension, nervousness on Beast Boy's face simply grows darker as the blue Shelby pulls off Interstate 80 and into downtown North Jump City. This isn't your usual upscale, polished storefronts of Jump City's financial district nor the homey care of some of the commercial districts. No, this city is every bit as gritty as Jump City is pristine. Signs for Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Latino food markets, about seven of them all on the same block, tick off as a veritable United Nations of cosuine. And while Jump City can boast of the decor of their buildings, this city can claim to have as much dirt and grime on the buildings as Gotham City.

"Roll your window down." Question informs, keeping his eyes, presumably, on the road.

"Dude, if I do that.."

"You want to take on the worst these cities have to offer? Then you can't hide from them, not in the slightest bit. Roll your window down." And surprisingly, there isn't a single hint of anger in that voice.

For the green man in the passenger seat though there's more than enough concern already. Rolling the window down won't hurt, will it? Complying with the wishes, the smell instantly bombards his nose. Along with the sound of jackhammers, car horns, car exhausts.. it all combines in his head as the sound of one, giant iron smacking off the pavement to the smell of black car fumes and a bad wind blowing in a sewage treatment plant smell.

"Oh my god, that ain't pretty." BB chokes, grasping his nose.

"Jump City gets spared the smell of their own waste plants because of the ocean wind. North Jump, they're not so lucky." Merging onto another avenue, the blue car speeds down the street past several more office buildings and graffiti-tagged storefronts. It's obvious that as the drive continues, commercial business starts to give way to residental housing.

"Why are you taking me down here? This isn't a good idea." Beast Boy warns, leaning down in his seat.

"And why is that?"

Looking at up Question, Beast Boy shakes his head "Haven't you seen the news? Do you know how many murders go on over here? Not to mention all the burglaries, carjackings, the.."

"Compared to Gotham and Hub City, you're looking at a children's playground. Have you ever imagined just _why_ North Jump is like this?"

"Some places just naturally have higher crime rates?" In every city there's a darker section, who knows why North Jump does?

Question, pulling up to a red light, looks over at Beast Boy. The lack of a face only brings another sweat bead down the green man's face. "With that mindset, nothing will be fixed. The world is much more sinister than you've been told." Back to the wheel, he tells his passenger once again "Look out. Get a look at the people, the houses. You need to internalize all of it."

After a moment's hesitation, BB turns back to the window and looks out. Every home seem so old and yet, so _old_. Several have so many junk on the porches and sidewalk, a fire could consume the whole house in seconds. Kids playing jump rope while others sit on their steps, looking back at B with anger in their eyes. There's no hard rock or pop music to be found here, only the sound of bass and Rap of all varieties ranging from hardcore L.A.-based music to Latin Rap screaming through the open doors of one particular house. And on everyone's faces, the same common sight that BB can't shake from his mind. Utter despair, downtrodden, upset...

"Is this what it's like in the entire city?" Beat Boy asks quietly, the reality tough to swallow but worth trying.

"For the most part. Some people are trying to stand up on their own but not many will. The city lost hope a long time ago, especially in the gang neighborhoods."

"I never been to this part of the area. I've been around the world, to the arctic, to Europe, to Japan.. but we never went ten miles away from home.." the solemn reply comes back.

Question looks to young man in the adjacent seat, warning "It can be harsh to throw someone of your naivete' into a situation like this but you would never been exposed to it if you stayed on with the Titans."

"What's the plan then with the Titans? When we go back, do I say I'm leaving for awhile until everything's settled?"

A shake of his head, the faceless man answers "You resigned twenty minutes ago to take an indefinite leave of absence following personal issues that have been building for some time."

"Huh? Slow it down, I what?"

"You resigned for personal matters, effective twenty-one minutes ago."

Eyes pulled away from the window, BB demands "Whoa, wait a minute.. I never said I'd do THAT!"

"It's already been arranged. The moment you left the mayor's office, she called the Titans to announce the news. Then she called me and asked me to get the ball rolling for you."

"So.. I'm..?"

"You aren't off the Titans, not forever. Until you've done what you set out to do, you're officially off of the team, yes. But, in all reality, you have a more important problem to worry about."

"This is too much to handle all at once..."

The blue Shelby pulls into a parking lot, hidden amongst other cars for the moment. A vintage car like this will attract attention after too long though.

"You have an assignment to complete before you can come back home." Question informs, the engine turning off.

Quirked eyebrow, BB asks carefully "An.. _assignment_? What kind of assignment?"

"For the past two weeks, there's been a suspicious series of murders in North Jump. Nothing that the national media, corrupt dogs that they are, would report, but something serious enough to warrant special attention. The NJPD have been unable to solve the case so I believe this would be perfect for you to take."

Shaking his hands in protest, BB retorts "Whoa, ok, not my field. The detective stuff is Robin's field, not mine!"

"Well you'll need to learn how if you're going to survive. It's the only way you're coming back to Jump."

Now wide-eyed, Beast Boy demands "What's the hell do you mean? Are you saying I can't even go back _home_ too? All I got's over there!"

"Everything you _need_ is in this car. Open the glove compartment."

"No, I don't want to know. I _want_ to go back to the Tower you no-face creep!"

If the retort gets to Question, he doesn't show it. Rather, he opens the compartment for BB. Inside sits a wrap of dollar bills and a finger ring. "I'm giving you five-hundred dollars to use until you get back. If you run out, or if someone steals it, you're on your own."

BB reluctantly picks the two up, looking at them. Sure enough the money is real but why the ring? "This some kind of League decoder ring or something?"

"Put it on."

Suspicion giving way to curiosity, the green boy does indeed slip it onto his right-hand ring finger. In an instant, a blue light rings down his body, changing his skin to caucasian, his hair blonde. No pointy ears, jutting fangs, or emerald complexion.

"Oh my god.."

"Don't get too excited. Your Cyborg can make a decent holographic illusion, we had WayneTech work on it a bit."

Examining his fingers, Beast Boy dares "Is it permanent?"

"As long as you keep it on your finger, yes. The battery contains a lithium powercell recharged by solar radiation." The next explanation is from BB's own expression. "If you let it sit in the sun for a few minutes, you won't need to replace it."

"Oh."

"You can still change into animals but the animals will be their normal colors as well. The point of this whole plan is to make you appear as human as possible."

BB tries to say something but his mind changes gears, prompting "And just why do you have this technology this fast? You just met me about thirty minutes ago."

Locking eyes, the man with no eyes answers slyly "That is the question."

"So.. you want me to catch this murderer. It won't be easy but I can give it a try." If there's no other choice then there's no other choice.

"It's better than begging to go home. You catch on quick." The sarcastic compliment seems fitting even as the blonde-haired man to his side glares at the driver.

"I take it I won't be using the name "Beast Boy" on this mission?"

"Use whatever name you want as long as your presence doesn't lead back to the Titans. Other than that, you're free to do what you need to do."

"Free?"

"With the exception of murder, anything." Tapping the wheel, looking for anyone who might be approaching, Question warns. "You should stick to abandoned buildings if you can. The neighborhood is pretty tight around here and you'll stick out like bad lettuce. If I were you, I'd suggest thinking like an animal. It might just save your life."

"That almost sounds like concern coming from you?" One last joke before he walks into Hell's Playground...

Tilting his head back towards BB, Q suggests "Wild dogs should be taken out with the trash. Don't be another piece of garbage out there. Now go, I need to leave before someone realizes I'm here."

"Good luck to you too." the reply comes back as the door opens up. "Anything else I should know?"

"Don't kill your target. If you do, you'll have the League coming down on you."

Taking on the likes of Superman and Green Lantern isn't exactly a fun idea. "Non-lethal means?"

"Permitted. Good luck."

Door closed, Beast Boy doesn't have time to respond as the Shelby speeds out of the parking lot and into oblivion.

And as BB looks around, a very ominous chill runs up his spine. Unfamiliar territory, unfamiliar people. Only ten miles away from home and nothing but a total stranger. Looking at his hands, he realizes that he himself might as well be a total stranger. Looking up at the nearest rooftop, he checks the coast is clear before shifting into a bird and flying upward. A good vantage point for where to begin..

---

High above the city, a brown hawk looks down at the city of North Jump. Not much different from above with all the traffic and stores. Of course, the sounds are entirely different. Much more rap music, many more buses spewing exhaust into the air, car radios at full blast, shouting, arguing... Screeching, the animal veers down towards another roof, a look with human eyes might reveal an idea where to go.

"The Question said I should think like an animal, huh? Well, first thing I'd need is a den. Now.. somewhere abandoned..." Powerful eyes look around but nothing tall nor available seem to be in view. Dare he say it, this might require having to go down on the ground to find something worthy.

...

On the ground, the plain-clothed late-teen walks down the street careful to mind his own business. Don't make eye contact obvious, keep on going without looking like a tourist. All things you were told in school and home but never seem to put to good use on your first time. The looks from passerbys are frightening, each one gazing into his fragile soul, daring him to stand up on his own so they could step on it some more. Just more stores and homes, cracked pavement, and cars that don't seem to mind having dents and rust on them. Hub and Gotham make this place look like a playground, huh? Can't be too much worse than here.

"Where to go.. where to go.."

And the farther he goes, the more people start to watch him in his own eyes. Not just a simple glance but a prolonged stare.. groups of three, four start to watch him as his walk continues. Hair begins to raise on the back of his arm and neck, the animal in him warning that something is amiss.

"What you doin' out here whitey? You a longggg way from JC!"

Don't know who did it, don't even look.

"Yeah that's right, just keep on walkin' boy! You ain't messin' wit this shit o'er here!"

"Yo, hold up! I think the boy's _SCARED_ of you!"

"Ain't that a fact?"

Keep walking.

"Look at 'em goin'! He's _scared_ to stop!"

"Now, that ain't right! Maybe homeboy's lost?"

"I s'pose that could be the case!"

Take flight.. take flight..

"How's about we give him a _hand_?"

No more, can't blow the cover now. Take off, just keep running.

"Motherfucka, he tryin' to run!"

Don't even look back, just keep on going. To the end of the corner, out of sight, then take off.

"You betta get back here cracka sumbitch!"

Two more houses.... bearing down like a freight train... almost there...

...

Freedom. Rather than a bird, a grasshopper leaps into the grass siding next to the sidewalk looking up at two very upset-looking men. After some language involving rich-whiteys from Jump City and a waste of time, they depart long enough for his walk to resume in relative peace. The ground's far too dangerous, time to return to the rooftops once more..

..

The question on Garfield Logan's mind, however, might as well be the very one on every Titan's mind at the situation "What have I gotten into?"

---

A/N2: I wanted Gar to feel something very human.. and who hasn't felt that terror of people watching you and, eventually, chasing you? I've had it a few times in life, it's horrifying.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Alice in Chains, live in concert, (my first concert) was not just an event.. but an experience. It was out of this world, better than I ever imagined. With that said, new chapter up.

**If You Go Chasing Rabbits...**

**  
**---

_It took three nights before I finally settled on a temporary home in North Jump. Rather, I should call it my "den" since Question had asked me to think like an animal. Alleys didn't cut it, living on rooftops was dangerous, and I refused to live in a shelter, so I had to find the most convenient, abandoned building I could find. Between the heavily-residential neighborhoods and the downtown area was the remains of an old building, uninhabited and decrepit..._

_The concrete walls were cracking, the tiles on the floor broken and scattered about. Maybe the building was an old hospital or shelter, it's hard to tell but few residential homes have the remains of thirty, thirty-five beds. Most of the ceiling had been gutted but the roof remained in place.. Dirt, debris everywhere you stepped, not wearing shoes could be suicide with the risk of Tuberculosis on every piece of rusted metal. The sight of the creaking steps, musty smell, cobweb-covered windows.. it made my stomach turn at the sight. _

_And yet, strangely, the more I explored the place, the more I began to see the reality of the situation. I was already homeless and without money to provide my own home, it was either deal with the ruins inside or sleep on the street. At that point, I was no better than a wild dog and wild dogs don't mind dealing with a harsh place in order to find safety. Even through all the mess and dust inside, it offered one place that I knew no one would look for me. "Beast Boy" doesn't sleep in anything but a cluttered room, right? He doesn't even WANT to be forced to sleep in a place that's probably haunted. Hell, he wouldn't sleep in a building that has drafts of air chilling it like a refrigerator. No, this was the right place to start a headquarters of sort. Get my plan in motion, get the ball rolling._

_---_

_I hadn't gotten very far in my goal of catching the mystery murderer but, thankfully for me, no other suspicious deaths had come up since arriving in North Jump. I'd need the time to prepare, gather food and other vital tools. I didn't risk going out during the day at that time, not at first. At night I could freely move around, hide in the shadows, take flight if I needed to without anyone noticing. By the fifth night, I had enough food and resources to last me a few weeks, thanks in large part to the money Question had given me. I wasn't sure why he was giving me that kind of help but I didn't resist once I was on my own._

_There was no way I could continue using the name "Beast Boy", not when I didn't appear green anymore. Sure I could change into animals still but I wasn't Jump City's joke-cracking, green-skinned superhero. I had become what I always was under the surface: Garfield Mark Logan. Wearing the costume would be a waste no matter how much sentiment it retained to the Doom Patrol. A stop at the Salvation Army, some three-dollar jeans, shirts, and boots later, I was just an ordinary citizen in an unordinary city._

_With a temporary refuge secured, it was time to move on to more pressing matters. A week had passed since arriving and nothing was done in pursuit of this unknown killer. But how would I go about finding him? Asking the locals would be trouble waiting to happen, they like newcomers as much as I enjoy eating meat. In a city of nearly half a million people someone had to know. "Think like an animal", that phrase kept ringing in my head. Animals are intelligent but most of them can't see past their own survival. Humans, however, are very animal-like whether or not they choose to admit it. Like any animal, the killer would certainly leave tracks. Determined, I figured the only way to begin was to start at the beginning: I'd need to visit the first victim's home._

_---_

A map and a check of the recent newspapers sends Garfield on a trip across town, pass the downtown district, to a shady neighborhood with dim lights and homes fronted by trash bags awaiting pickup. Unknown to the residents, a bat lands in the middle of the street, raising up from a kneel on the ground. Paper in hand, the address points to a house with police tape still lining the doorway. The coast is clear, the boy walks towards the entrance with intention. No human could pass but the law never mentioned a ban on animal entry.

Inside, a cockroach resumes a normal, human form. Quite the benefits to be found in the holoring on his finger; his great vision remained the same while appearing to be ordinary green. Not the brightest environment but currently the house is in the name of a dead woman so who can argue? Quaint little house, pictures on the wall, magazines tucked safely under the coffee table. Still no evidence of murder, no unusual scent in the air. Gar moves up the stairway, _feeling_ for something in the darkness. Eerily silent night when not long ago the house was alive and well with a human owner. Now the only thing that human has is a wood coffin six feet underground.

Opening the door, the smell of the room suddenly dominates the six senses. Blood, copper, sweat.. visceral in it's horror while ironically awe-inspiring in it's power after so many days. Police chalk remains on the floor, outlining what the blood stains do well enough on their own. According to the newspaper, her name was Janice, a receptionist for the Port Authority of North Jump. Not even in her forties yet, slain by over three dozen stab wounds in her bedroom.

Gar's hand absently shakes, his nerves becoming tense as the obituary runs through his mind. He doesn't need a body to know how painful this must have been, the blood stains cover the floor from the bed to the doorway, all twelve feet of it.

"She must have tried to escape." he whispers to himself, looking around the room. "Caught her in bed, a few stabs before scrambling out.. She almost escapes but he leaps onto her back and..." palming his face, he finishes "just a wild dog. A human doesn't do these things, only wild dogs."

As he removes his hand, the room becomes his next choice of inspection. Need to find more clues, the murder only a hint of what occurred. Pictures of an older couple, her family perhaps... Pictures of times in the tropics.. A picture of her and four other women, smiles on their face.

The picture brings a gasp from his hand, pulling in the frame. It's the woman to her immediate left that has his worry: She's recently been murdered as well.

"No." The obvious, however, is far more chilling. "If he gets Janice first.. then he gets this woman next... He's got three more to kill before he.."

Forget this out loud thinking, he rips the picture out of the frame and pockets it. Necessary reference if he wants to save the other three. No time to waste, the house has to be vacated before someone else gets killed.

---

Ten o'clock, the other side of North Jump. Six blocks above the street level, a bird once again flies over the town. The low-light street lamps help obscure him, more light aimed down than pointing upward from business signs help hide him in the dark. While those looking up might not notice a black bird flying East, that black bird can very well see you. It especially sees when two men in ski-masks storm into a convenience store, shotguns in hand. Shouting ensues as the bird descends, diving at the entrance way.

It doesn't take long for the clerk to hand over the money, the twin shotguns in his face plenty incentive to comply. More insults towards the clerk's Indian ancestry, taunting, laughing. All unaware of the man standing in the doorway.

"Little late to be shopping, isn't it guys?"

Both burglars look to their left, surprised by the sight of just one man staring back. A very _unarmed_ man with the eyes of an Irish boxer.

One of them turns his gun towards Gar. "Motherfucka, you picked the wrong fuckin' place to stop by! Get your cracka ass on the floor!"

Gar doesn't move a muscle. "Do you know what you'll get for holding up a store with shotguns? You get armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder if you shoot. Last chance to give yourselves up."

In unison, the two begin to actually _laugh_ at Gar's warning. "This little shitstain got his wires crossed or somethin'. Like we're just gonna _let_ you take us in." Guns returned to their aim, one warns "Fuck all that. You die first."

The bullets, however, don't hit Gar.. He's not even visible to be shot at.

"What the fuck? Where'd he go?"

_"Boo"_

As the two turn around, Gar brings a fist down into the left man's face while that same elbow crashes into the other's eye. One backs away, clutching his eye in pain while the first one staggers back for a moment. No time to waste, all of the training in the Doom Patrol and Titans entering his mind like clock-work. By the time the first shot's fired, Gar has the shotgun aiming skyward, taking out part of the ceiling while one of his knees comes up into the man's balls. Dirty, yes, but there's no honor in death, especially by hollowpoint rounds. Looking back, the second robber has dropped his shotgun, the clerk having retrieved it and running back towards the rear exit. However, he now has a double-sided knife in his hand. Almost like a standard boot knife for hunting, odd choice for an urban thief.

Not too smart in his attack though, the wide swipes missing by a mile. With one great thrust, Gar turns the momentum against him as he sidesteps, grabs his head, and thrusts him into the lottery ticket display, face shattering against the glass. Unconscious, the would-be thief falls to the ground. Knife in hand, Gar turns to see the other shotgun pointed at his head.

"Slick moves but I'ma paint this store wit'cho blood, bitch."

Knife in hand, held blade downward, Gar retorts "Only if you hit me."

"That little trick a your's was pretty smooth. Had us thinkin' you was at the front when really ya's behind us. Smooth. But, right now, fuck you!"

BAM

The slight pull on the trigger was all Gar needed to see. The shot came after his body moved to the right in motion, a little body language saving his entire life. His attacker's face turning to surprise, Gar lunges forward, clutching the shotgun barrel with his left hand and his right clutching the blade over-hand an inch from the left eye.

"How.. how did..?"

"You flinched as you pulled the trigger. Sloppy." Using the barrel as a weapon, Gar takes the criminal by the head and slams him face-first into the steel weapon, sending him into the darkness along with his partner.

Robbers subdued, the crimefighter takes stock. In his hand is a clean, usable knife with two burglars on the floor. He doesn't wait for the clerk to return or the cops as well, there's more important issues at hand.

...

Of course, outside, he collapses against the wall of the building next to the store. Breathing hard, eyes wide, the shock hits him all at once. Many close calls in life but never down to the wire like a little flinch of a shotgun trigger. He never had to put a man's face into glass or a gun barrel to subdue people. Robin would have his ass once he got back... Or would he? The breathing slows a bit as the thought enters his mind. The Titans would never know he did this, it would just be another robbery foiled though by some mystery customer. So what if Robin protested anyway, his life was at stake!

Eyes back to the sky as sirens start to grow closer, his body resumes flight as a bird high into the night.

---

Tired from the fight, Gar chooses to return home after a fruitless search for the other 3 women. A long-shot but a lot better than going to the police and ask a bunch of suspicious questions. The last thing he needs is the police asking _him_ some questions in return. So, back to "home", sleep, do it all again tomorrow.

Not even the dark recesses of the abandoned building can match the sour mood filling Gar's mind. Every moment he delays could mean another murder but with nothing to go on, it's essentially a blind, wild goose chase.

Something on the floor that would normally serve as his bed. Low-light isn't a problem normally but the object is so small, it's hard to get an idea what it truly is. Holding it in his finger, it's a round piece of tech about the size of a speaker on a pair of headphones. A note beside it reads simply: "Put it in your ear, channel 20." Turning it over, Gar finds himself bemused as a black question mark greets him.

"Bastard's been stalking me." Indeed, he places the earpiece into his right eye and presses it a few times. "Hello? Is this on?"

_"Not so loud, someone could hear you."_

Bemusement giving way to annoyance, that monotone voice is confirmed for sure. "Sneaking into my home again?"

_"Hardly. I noticed a lack of progress on your mission so I decided to give you some help."_

Sitting down now, removing his boots, the green boy dares "How kind of you. Would've been nice to see you face to face."

_"We're both hiding our true faces."_ Nothing, at least nothing that could tell as getting to the Leaguer. _"You've been to one of the witnesses' houses, haven't you?'_

"How.. how did you?"

_"Tracking device placed in the ring. You could remove it if you want but you'll be returned to your normal appearance. A necessary trade-off."_

Flipping him the bird, a sight he isn't sure if Question can't see or not, a retort speaks into the air "You're really as paranoid as I heard."

_"People blame their instincts on paranoia. It's what happens when you've become conditioned to ignoring what's really there in your head to begin with."_

Eyes closing, Gar asks "Going anywhere with this? I'm falling asleep just listening to it."

_"I have an address I want you to check out in the morning."_

"Now we're getting somewhere. Who and what?"

_"Fourth floor, room four. Johnston Apartments on North Jump's West Side."_

"And who am I looking for?"

_"He's someone looking for the same man as you. You'll need his information if you want to catch the criminal."_

A loud yawn, time for sleep. C'mon Q, wrap it up. "That killer's been pretty quiet lately. You sure he's still planning to kill more people?"

_"According to your local news, he just killed his third one tonight._"

That shit will wake you up in a heartbeat. "WHAT?" Too loud, someone could hear. "Fuck" he mutters under his clamped hands.

_"Roberta Hernandez, an employee of the Port Authority..."_

"Q, where? Where was she killed?!"  
_"At her residence in North Jump's North end. I'll send you the address."_

Boots coming back on, there's no time for sleep. The crime scene's fresh, not days old. "Great. I'm going."

---

Police lights, red and blue casting a familiar color across the streets of North Jump. A small crowd has gathered, the investigation getting into full swing. Amongst the group, Gar stands with a look of worry on his face. If it's true, this is the third victim.. and from the picture, it appears only two people remain and he's still yet to even know _who _he's looking for. The NJPD keep the gathering back but Gar looks beyond them to the house. Another unsuspecting house, another unsuspecting murder... Later when the police are gone, he can get a feel for the house and pick up on the scents inside. Anything to tell just _who_ did it.

Such an odd odor, foul and dirty. Not that Gar's one to talk, it's been days since his last shower, but this isn't from him. Looking to his left and right, Gar searches for the source. Like musty, dirty, bad water and exhaust fumes. Local residents in loose clothing, pajamas.. a hobo man. Oh jeez, that's rank. Just a few steps over to the left, thank you, away from the smell. Well, if nothing's happening at the moment, no point staying. The crime scene should be good tomorrow and sleep is certainly wanted right now...

---

A/N2: Gar's gotta keep up if he doesn't want to fuck up. Maybe Q and that contact can help.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Got a new schedule at work this week (was all 7/3:30), hence my writing schedule is off. Next week I start Produce section at 6:00amEST so my mind is already in circles.. though creative ideas have been coming more and more (my writer's block is gone!)  
This early story may seem vague, obscure, dragging along... please, (hate to say it) bare with it. I'm trying to establish more than just a "who done it?", this is going to establish the exposition for the entire saga.. Ireland wasn't built in a day, don't expect "Watchman" or anything major yet.. if this were a one-shot (and Watchman never existed in my writings), people wouldn't be hounding me about the pacing.. so deal with it. 

**If You Go Chasing Rabbits...**

The west staircase of the Johnston Apartments seems like an abysmal climb into hell rather than a path to finding Question's contact. Not that waking up at seven in the morning is anything to complain about but being half-asleep and walking through a dingy stairwell just isn't worth it. The floorboards creak with each step on the wood, the handrails need a paintjob badly from the woodchips running along Gar's hand. Windows haven't been cleaned in quite some time, the light shouldn't be foggy when there's not a cloud out in the sky. Maybe due to his location but the apartment doesn't yet seem as alive as he'd expect. Seven in the morning runs through his mind, people have better things to do than climb these ridiculously decrepit stairs.

By the time he gets out of the stairwell, he's holding his chest and sucking in air. Damn his cover, flying up to the top would've been far more easier. No, he just _needs_ to walk everywhere people might see him, bullshit. Down the fourth floor hallway, past several rooms, a pair of them with large cracks in their woodworks. Hell, if the place's walls were beginning to crumble and the floor filled up with dirt, the place might be a spiritual sibling to his own shelter. No time for jokes though, room 423 is on the left. Collecting himself for a moment, Gar lifts a hand up for a second and moves to knock on the door..

To his surprise, the door springs open before his fist comes down. Standing at the doorway, a man with a brown suit, white shirt, and black tie stands looking back. Equally surprised, the man stares back, hazel eyes confused as much as those shown in Gar's green ones.

"Well now, talk about timing." The raspy, monotone droll from the tenant.

"We couldn't do that again if we tried." Gar answers back, hand back in place. "Are you Mr. Dewalt?"

Surprising turning to suspicion, Mr. Dewalt asks bluntly "Who sent you?"  
Good question, how to answer it correctly? "A.. contact of mine said you might help me with a case. He said you were a private investigator."

"Business call then. Well, get out of the hallway, take a seat inside."

Don't argue with the man, the door closes as both retreat into the room.

---

The apartment isn't much bigger than a three-room flat. Bathroom, kitchenette, and bed. The bed area looks occupied with a computer and tv screen while the faded remains of the walls and curtains take Gar's other eye.

Sitting at the kitchen's table, Mr. Dewalt informs his new client "First things first, my name's Jake Dewalt. I don't like "Mr", makes me feel older than I am."

At 31, it seems more appropriate for a "Mr." than Gar's meager 19. "That makes sense."

"Two, if you're trying to get me to spy on your wife, be advised I don't videotape it for your sick mind."

Ok, this guy might be a little bit...

"And last, don't complain about my worth methods. You wanted results, you came to the right place. Now, with that said, who am I working for?"

Shaking his head, Gar retorts "Whoa, slow down. I'm not here to _hire_ you, I'm here to ask you some questions!"

"_Questions?_ What are you, the media?"

Sitting at the table himself, might as well try to make this manageable. "No, I'm a freelance investigator like you. I'm new to North Jump and my.. friend said you'd be a help."

Those hazel eyes never leave Gar's sight, not even for a moment. "Sounds like I know your friend. Usually only people who know me would recommend me. Most people can't handle a little reality in their face."

"I can see why."

"That's the way I like it, right up in your face so everyone gets a good look. Enough of that shit, what do you want to know? You actually caught me on the way out."

Make it fast, make it fast, doesn't look sane.. "I'm... shit, how to put this... Do you know just _who_ might be committing all these murders in North Jump?"

"North Jump had over ninety murders last year. The city's high on the murder list, you might want to re-word that."

Clearing his throat, Jake has a good point. "The one who's been killing the women from the Port Authority."

"That's more like it. As a matter of fact I _do_ know who it is."

Leaning forward on the table, springing up to his feet, Gar demands "You _know_ who it is and you haven't told the _police_?"

"That's correct."

"And why _not_?"

Still, calm, voice not wavering in the slightest, Jake answers this question simply "Because it'll save two lives instead of none."

Deer-in-the-headlights, Gar squeaks "I don't understand?"

At this point, Jake gets up himself and walks over to the computer. A folder in his hand, he returns and tosses it in front of Gar. "Take a look for yourself."

Folding through the pages, Gar's eyes begin to widen further with each page. Pictures of the previous murders, the styles of death and mutilation.. After four pages, Gar finally puts a hand to his mouth and turns away from the sight.

"The first two victims. Our _mystery_ friend was behind it. I found out from my current client who just happens to be the killer's ex-girlfriend."

"Too much..."

"I know, isn't it? How about we get out of here, take a drive. You might need to hear some of this if you're looking for this man."

---

"Gar, that's your name right?"

How many days has it been since Gar was in a car? Since Question kicked him out into this urban nightmare called North Jump City? Judging from the beard growing on his face, it has to have been...

"Hey! You awake?"

Eyes snapping alert, Gar stammers "Huh? Oh, yeah, it's Gar. Sorry, I kinda drifted off there."

"Anyway, I take it you haven't been home very much. You look like you just got out of a Salvation Army."

"As a matter of fact I did. For over a week I've been on my own in the city." His jeans aren't too frayed, are they? It's not even been ten days!

"Why you picked North Jump is beyond me but we all have our reasons." The black 85 Monte Carlo hits a right-hand turn easily, cutting off two trucks and a minivan. "We're both a long way from where we started, aren't we?"

"_Far_ away." Downtown North Jump doesn't seem as horrible as the residential areas do. Then again, in a city of nearly half a million, you don't get far without some form of businesses. "You been in North Jump all your life?"

Calm voice but hard eyes, how many memories does that question bring up? "No. I didn't come to this area until I was in my early twenties."

"I wasn't around here until I hit 13. This week's been my first time in North Jump."

"Really? Can't imagine why. All of it's crime, dirt, poverty.. it's practically begging for a Disneyland."

Eyes watching a mother and child walking down the street, hand in hand, the young adult sighs unsure "Anywhere can be a project or a paradise. Right? Anything that used to be good can go bad and the other way around."

"And that's why we're here." Jake confirms. "Trying to catch a psychopath murdering women one by one."

"What's his name?"

"Why's that really important at this time?"

"Because I'd like a name I could put my anger towards."

For once, the monotone breaks into a bemused chuckle "Better to hate a man than a whole city I guess. His name is Terrance Joseph White, aka "TJ White". He's a former security guard for the NJ Port Authority."

There's a revelation if Gar'd ever heard one. "He used to work at the same place as his victims?"

"Yeah, and it gets worse. He's not killing them at random as the press are being told. He's actually killing them for _revenge_."

Eyeing up the stoic Jake Dewalt, Gar suggests "Revenge? What did they do to him that made him wanna kill them?"

"I haven't been able to find that out from my client. She just told me who's doing it and the reason but nothing else. The information I got on him was from the North Jump PD and the Port Authority."

"They must've done something real horrible to have that monster kill them."

"Leave that part of the investigation to me." Jake counters. "You have a different reason for being here than I am."

"Which is?"

Parking at a supermarket entrance, Jake warns "You're telling me you're a private investigator but you couldn't tell me who he is, where he's hiding, or why he's killing. Either you're blind as a bat or a genuine rookie at investigations."

"Are you telling me I should quit?" Gar asks, defiant. Let the Titans or Question say something about his work but not some...

"No, you have that eye of determination. But if you're going to find out just where this guy's living, you need to make these people work _for_ you, not against you."

"Work _for_ me? That's an odd way of looking at it."

Opening the door, Jake replies "I'll give you a lesson 101 on what I mean."

---

Into the market, past the aisles of food, and into the backroom stride Gar and Jake. Any would-be arguments from the staff is put aside by the manager who urges them to shut their traps fast. Their object of attention currently stands with bags of ice in his hand outside of an open, drafty freezer door.

"Oh hell no."

"Oh hell yes." Jake replies back. "I see you're stackin' ice good and tight. I like that."

"C'mon Jake, I don't work with that shit no more."

Jake takes a step forward, uncaring of the fear growing on this worker's face. "Ironic really. You go from shippin' ice to packin' ice on a cart."

"Please man, this shit's for a customer out there!"

Turning to Gar, Jake orders "You got a twenty?"

Don't bother asking, Gar hands over the currency after a quick check. Jake smiles at his unwilling prey "I'm your customer for the next few minutes. Do me a favor and answer a few questions, ok?"

"Man... shit, what ever. Fine, what ya wanna know?"

"TJ White, former guard down at the docks. Rumor is he's the one that's been killin' all those dock girls these past few weeks."

"No shit?" even the worker seems surprised, putting the ice on his cart. "You tellin' me that Rabbit finally popped his block?"

"So I've been told. Maybe he's just on a drug rampage or these women crossed his brain the wrong way. Point is, where do we find him?"

"Shit.. you askin' the wrong person. I ain't seen that fool in months. Last time I knew 'em, bro was workin' fine down by the dock. Now you tellin' me he's cuttin' up every chick this side of the Bay. You sure you got yo shit right?"

"Pay attention." Jake orders to Gar before announcing. "Maybe you forget some shit you owe a brother man?" The gulp from the worker across the floor seems ominous. "Now I hate to hold shit over a fine, upstanding member of society like yourself but in case your gang-bangin' ass ain't been hearin' but there _is_ a serial killer on the loose in our beautiful neck of Cali. Now, since you've had yo nose in the who and what's of our fine community since you came slingin' out yo mama, I would only hope you might have an _idea_ where to find said murderer. Now, if you would not happen to know his location or where we could learn where to find him, then I might be inclined to accept this fact. But IF you were indeed _lying_ to me, I feel it due justice to inform your current, legal wife of certain..."

"Alright, alright! Jeez, you are a ball-breakin' mothafucka. Shit, you wanna know where you can find ol' TJ? Go by my boy Bone over on Macie St, he oughta know. That cat know everythin' around here."

"Macie Street... Bone.. " Jake nods his head, feeling his way through. "I hope your information is indeed correct."

"Shit's legit. Now, _please_, leave before my boss gets my ass fired!"

Smirk, Jake nods one last time "Wasn't so hard, was it? Thank you for your cooperation."

"Any time.."

---

Back in the car, they're on their way to meet "Bone" but Gar has a nagging question that needs be answered. "How'd you do that?"

"Do what? Get him to talk?"

"Yeah? You broke him almost."

"Key word is _almost_. You don't break a person, or a city for that matter. People can survive by bending, can't survive by breaking."

"And you don't feel bad about that at all?"

"No. His wife, the one who's hired me to spy on him, doesn't know he's with three other women on the side right now. The only reason I don't turn his ass in to her is the fact she will castrate him before gutting him like a fish."

"Ouch."

"She's a little loco, good cook though. Story goes I was about to turn him in when he gave me the drop on another case I was working on. Cliff note, that said case wrapped up because of his suggestion and I offered not to turn him in _provided_ he stay straight with me. Man will do anything to keep his balls from the cutting board."

"So you're taking her money while using him for information? Dude, that's gotta be wrong.. somehow."

Jake looks at Gar with a stone expression on his face, the red light giving him a chance to speak his mind. "We're trying to get shit done, ain't got time for _feelings_ and _regulations_. Shit like that is what gets good people and people like us killed."

Gar actually shows some sympathy despite the near scathing reply. "You sound like someone who knows first-hand."

As the light turns green, the car lurches forward hard from the acceleration. Jake remains silent.

---

At the appointed street, Jake pulls over to let Gar out. "Time for you to get back to work."

"Hey, aren't you coming?"

"It'll work better if we work split. Find out with Bone knows, I'll look on my end. Got a way for me to contact you?"

Gar flips him his earpiece's (or cell-phone as Gar might say) number. "Hey, Jake. I appreciate the information."

"You'll need it. Believe it or not I'm trying to actually do some good at here."

"You and me both."

"Remember, don't break these people. Bend them if you have to but don't break them. People are more useful that way."

Pointing at Jake, Gar replies "I'll just bend them to my point of view."

"Yeah.. lose the campiness and it'll sound better. Later."

Monte Carlo pulling away, Gar looks to the street. Down the block are a gathering of people in a circle playing a game of dice. Better to start there than anywhere...

---

A/N2: For my long-time readers, Jake will be a reminder to an older story (actually he's an idea from long before my writings began but whatever). Unlike the real world, sometimes people know murderers. America's Most Wanted anyone? People know killers but they don't always know "where" they are. The question is what will Gar have to do to pry his location out? And just why is TJ White killing these ladies anyway?

Personal: Thank you to my newer reviewers (Martiya, Dubious Silence). Although I love my 4 prime reviewers (fangirls, critical review, lengthy review, and casual review), it's nice to have new blood. Feel free to ask, write anything you like. The more you put into your review, the more motivation I have to write.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Finally got some time to update! No, I didn't abandon the story, far from it. I got lots of ideas, more than the first WM did. But in the past 2 weeks, I've been to two concerts (my first two), got my third tattoo, got hooked on Paintball (M-16 Tippman for me!), and just drove 600 miles in the last 5 days. People are bad distractions but NOW ON TO THIS!

**If You Go Chasing Rabbits...**

_Some people just aren't as easy to deal with as you'd like. How hard could it be for someone to just say "he's at (so-and-so)" or "I saw him last night at (somewhere)". But people just insist on giving you a hard time, each and every time you try. Is it ego? Bitterness? A combination of the two mixed with some misguided sense of street ethics? Either way, the obvious fact was that there was almost no chance in hell Bone would give me TJ White's location, even if he knew it. _

_I knew this because those group of people Jake dropped me off near didn't have Bone in it. You can ask politely or you could ask with a knife in your hand. I decided, at the time, to be friendly and ask politely. They were laughing, playing cards with bottles of beer all around. A group of six and maybe two of them under the age of eighteen from the look of things. It was one of the two young ones that looked at me first._

_"What the fuck are you lookin' at?!"_

_Just ignore it, I told myself. This was a need for business and I didn't need to get into a fight then. "I'm looking for Bone, any of you know 'em?"_

_Like a spark all six began laughing, I guess they couldn't believe this stranger would be looking for this guy._

_"You? You're looking for Bone? You're funny, white boy. But seriously, get on up out at here."_

_"If Bone ain't around, would you settle for TJ White?"_

_The other youngster spoke up, not so funny now. "Hey? You deaf or somethin' motherfucker? Did you not just hear to get the fuck.."_

_Fuck this. "I heard him. He's old enough to speak for himself."_

_The right button to push, bent him just enough to force him to leap out of his seat. He was furious, I could see it in his eyes. Two of his friends had to hold him back. Hell, I was thanking God they didn't. I might be able to change into animals but that wasn't the time for "Beast Boy"._

_"Brave, boy." The alpha male of the group spoke, also standing up. "Either you got some serious shit on your mind or you're as crazy... and ugly.. as you look."_

_"Serious enough that I'd come to this shithole of a neighborhood to find him, yeah you're right." Something about the way his eyes were on mine made that animal urge in my head act up. Two alphas coming into contact when neither wanted to bend willingly. _

_"I say we just beat this punk ass into the ground. Crazy white boy comin' in here dissin' OUR hood?"_

_I couldn't reply, the lead simply waved them down. "No no, he wants to see Bone. Shit, why should we refuse him?"_

_He paused.. seemed like an eternity. I don't know what he was looking for but something compelled me to remain stonefaced. I'd gone up against aliens, monsters, demons.. if I could maintain a poker face then, this thug would need to look a lot harder._

_"You got some cold ass eyes, whitey."_

_"Well we've both seen a lot of things, haven't we?" What was I talking about? Then again, instincts can help you survive._

_"I guess we have. We got ourselves a little houseparty tonight. We're gonna take our... shithole little neighborhood home and have ourselves a good time. Bone's gonna be over, you can ask him then."_

_"This house tonight?" I asked, pointing my thumb at the building next to us._

_"Yeah, this fucking building."_

_Where it came from, I don't know, but I think I actually cracked a grin. "Sounds fun. I'll be there."_

_I started to walk away when I heard him clear his throat. "But you ain't gettin' in without a pass, boy."_

_"What?" I locked eyes again with this banger who needed a serious ass-kicking. "You said I should.."_

_"I said he'd be here and you could ask him. I never said you'd be getting in for free." His friends were beginning to chuckle amongst themselves. This wouldn't end good for anyone._

_"Really? And what kind of "pass" do I need?"_

_"Beer, the right kind of beer."_

_Shrugged at that. "That's it?"_

_He went back to his seat and brought up a firearm that made my eyes go wide. Oh shit, oh shit was all that went through my mind. Black, looked almost like a hunting rifle. I found out sometime later it went by Remington 870.. heavy firepower that's normally used for hunting._

_"You gotta use this to get the beer. What's to say your ass ain't just some undercover bacon in some cheap jeans and a beard that probably ain't seen the blade in a week?"_

_"I'm no cop. If I were a cop, I wouldn't even waste my time asking you."_

_"Oh really? We're not good enough for you to talk to? Think someone else gonna talk to ya around these homes, honky sombitch? You wanna speak to the big man, you gotta play the game."_

_Boldly, he tossed me the gun. Shit it was heavy, so clunky and awkward. It was the first time I'd ever really held a gun for anything other than training. This would be a different form of training.. something that would cross a very important line._

_"The game's simple. Go down to the beer shop down the street, use your steel to get Bone the beer he likes, and bring it tonight. If you don't, you ain't speakin' to the boss!"_

_Holding the gun up a bit, I asked "So you'd trust me with this?"_

_He sat back down at his spot, picking up some cards being dealt to him. "Fuck no. But if you even think of using it at me, even pretending to threaten me, my boys here would put a couple dozen pieces in your face. So get steppin and get him the mo-fuckin' beer!"_

_I had to run down the alleyways behind the storefronts. Being caught with a loaded firearm the size of a cannon in broad daylight wasn't my idea of a good party. How do you describe the emotions you're feeling? In order to get information you need to commit armed robbery.. or would I? I could've always just hidden the gun until I walked in and got the beer. But then again, how many people in the middle of the slums will sell me a case of beer? Barely old enough to smoke, nevermind drink, the only white guy for miles, and not entirely looking clean. I knew I didn't look right, that damn beard on my face was itchier than anything I'd ever felt. My first beard, worn on a wild goose chase through the darkest part of the Bay Region.. _

_I'm getting off-topic. The fact was I needed that beer to see Bone, I needed Bone to find TJ White, and I needed to stop TJ White in order to get back to Jump City.. all to chase down the people responsible for putting me in this hellhole IN THE FIRST PLACE! I wanted to scream, shout, take the shotgun and shoot the nearest thing in utter frustration! But that wasn't helping my situation, not as looked across the opening of the alley and saw the beer store in question. This was it, the moment of truth. No mask, no cover, no other choice. When the breaths of air started coming faster, shorter.. This was fucking insanity. No more than two weeks prior, I was a member of an organization that was mandated to enforce the law. To stop robberies, armed holdups.. This would change things, forever.. there was no going back._

_Out of the darkness, into the streets. Keeping the gun close to my body, I bolted across the street and into the door, gun aiming..._

_..._

_When I came out, I was holding a gun now empty of one shell with one hand and a case of beer in the other. When I got behind the buildings, I immediately took to the sky and flew towards my hideout. No amount of speed could've gotten me there in time, not even The Flash. I was furious, angry with myself. Screeching in pain, in agony, what had I done? All for just some potential hope that I might've gotten out of this rotten cesspool of a city?!_

_Back in the abandoned building, I dropped the beer and the gun on the dirty floor. I collapsed like potatoes onto the makeshift "bed", crying. I'm not ashamed to admit it, I cried for twenty minutes. I remember all the times my parents told me never to steal, not to do bad things for bad reasons. I didn't kill the man inside but his eyes, I'll never forget them. Such fear, terrified, his whole life flashing before his eyes as I shot a round into the ceiling to scare him. I shouted for him to take me to the security camera, warning him as I pumped another round into the chamber that any moves would kill him. A criminal. We ran to the back, he showed me the VCR unit with the recording in progress. The gun was enough to smash the device and tapes to nothing and without the power, the cameras wouldn't work. The deed done, I told him to get the beer or I'd do the same to him. Maybe the man was new to the job? I'd always heard how tough liquor store clerks were... He must've been thinking of his family, or his parents.. or maybe God? A God I'll have to beg forgiveness for when I finally meet my end.. A criminal._

_... When I got the beer, I gave him fifty dollars for it. I can never condone what I did but it felt like a shallow attempt at somehow making atonement for my crime. He cowered in the corner as I walked out, I couldn't look back. I couldn't even smile, couldn't growl... just... nothing. My mind was on fire but I had Raven's stare.. a stare only the shell-shocked are cursed to wear._

_Bone would give me the information I needed or I'd put him through a worse hell than the hell he indirectly put me into._

_Macie Street, nine that night. Yeah, it was a party alright. People on the porch, people on the lawn, people inside, lights in the room upstairs, rap music everywhere. You could smell the booze, all the marijuana and tobacco in the air. That didn't stop me from coming up to the house with the gun in one hand and the beer in the other. If this was going to turn nasty, any fears I had about starting trouble were extinguished by all the glares from the party-goers. White, black, Latino.. I'm none of them, not down beneath the holoring. If they think they're victims of racism, they should be happy they don't walk in emerald shoes. _

_"Whoa, hey hey, can't be bringin' that in here." A goon at the door warned me, a 9mm on his waist._

_I didn't want to look at him, just into the room with the people. I probably sounded gruffer than I intended to. "It's Bone's, I'm just giving it back. The beer's for him too."_

_"For Bone?"_

_"Yeah, for Bone. Can I go through now?"_

_Shaking his head, the door goon mutters "Cracka honky.."_

_Inside, the living room was a den of activity, beer bongs and joints everywhere. The music that night was nearly deafening and I was probably the only person in the entire room with a sour expression on their face. This was the life I could've had if I ever went to school, graduated and went to college. Get drunk, have fun, get with a girl and smoke a bowl on the side.. No, I wasn't able to do that. I was walking inside the house of a dangerous hood gang with a loaded firearm and twenty-four cans of beer..._

_In the kitchen I found "him". Sitting around a table, poker cards in his hand, the big mahoff himself was the king of this jungle. Unlike the other goons with gold around their necks, this man was just wearing a black shirt and matching skull cap. Each move of the cards, slow and precise. When I finally came in view of him, he seemed like a professional player rather than the criminal I heard about._

_"You're Bone?" I asked, any surprise impression Bone's appearance gave wouldn't show in my voice. This was business._

_"Twenty-four hours of the day." He didn't even look up from his cards, just shifted one to another side._

_"I got beer for you.. and one of your shotguns."_

_Silence, just picking up another card. Around now I realized that the room was eerily quiet, no one was saying a word. They must've been warned not to speak.. He knew this was business._

_"Heard you lifted it from the shop down the street."_

_"I did."_

_Folding the cards, Bone just flicked the cards back into the pile as another gathered them to shuffle. "Also found out you busted his cameras but left him money for the beer."_

_"I did."_

_"Odd thing to do in a robbery." He finally looked up at me. That black goatee like Satan, round eyes bearing into my wide ones. My foot was shaking bad but the boots kept that sight at bay. Bone has a great way of getting to the truth without you knowing it. "Why'd you do it?"_

_"I figured I owed him something for ruining his day and his store."_

_He paused for a moment then begun to nod his head, knowing something I didn't. "That's a good answer. That money ain't gonna get his shop fixed but you didn't kill him neither."_

_"Look, I'm not here to.."_

_"You're here for TJ White, I'm not blind shithead." He barked at me, startled me for a moment. "You think you'd even be able to BLINK near my home if I didn't allow it? You are in a rare position right now so don't you fucking betty-boop me!"_

_The hint wasn't lost on me, I nodded in agreement to that. "I hear ya. Yeah, I wanna know if you know where TJ White is."_

_New spread of cards in his hand, Bone asks "He's the one killin' all them whores, isn't he?"_

_"Whores?" I asked, that was a new one for me._

_Flip of the card, shuffled it to the side. "Ever ask yourself why someone who sleeps under the Viaduct's been killin' women from the docks?"_

_"Viaduct? You mean he's living under the bridge that collapsed years ago?!" Revelations, important ones especially, can come from the weirdest of sources._

_"Yeah, that very one. Now, answer the question, have you yourself ever questioned this?"_

_"I knew two of them were working for the Port Authority but I didn't know he was homeless."_

_Two cards Bone eyes seemed to have his attention but not the command his words displayed. "As homeless as a Rabbit-head gets. That motherfucker's so doped on the shit that he probably can see a bitch on Pluto."_

_"I heard a rumor he was a drug abuser but.."_

_Dropping the cards on the table, Bone demanded "You truly are a Jump City white-cracker bitch ain't you?" I didn't know how to respond to that at first. "Your English, fuckface, is what's giving your shit away. "Drug Abuser", "Port Authority", "Collapsed Bridge".. Get your fuckin' shit together! If it weren't for the simple, plain, obvious fact that I KNOW you're not a cop, I would have killed your sorry ass by the second faggot muttering!"_

_With the others watching me now, they looked more scared than anything, I decided to raise the tension further. Insulting me would get them no-where. I put the gun on it's butt facing upward. I leaned forward, chest on the gun and feet braced under the cabinet. "My language is just fine. I have all night, why don't you answer "my" question now and tell me where exactly I can find Mr. TJ White?"_

_"This crazy motherfucka, Bone.. We should just shoot him, he could be a fuckin'.."_

_"I DIDN'T ASK YOU!" Bone shouted at the other voice at the table, no one would deter his decisions. Looking back at me, he actually grinned. "My nigga.. Shit. Hey, get this crazy cracka a beer."_

_"I'm crazy but I don't drink." I replied but learned the hard way something very important about Bone._

_"What? You're crazy but you don't WHAT?"_

_Maybe it was the way he was reaching for a gun I had just noticed on the table that made me re-think my decision in a heartbeat. ".. I said I don't drink... unless it's something cold with me in the next deal?"_

_He pulled his hand back and laughed again "That's what I thought. Hey, get him a beer and five cards. We're gonna have a good night."_

A/N2: Gar knows where TJ is but he can't follow it up just yet. TJ's apparently homeless, he's killing off "whores", and now Gar can go after him. Only question, usually the strongest, is "why" for the killings?_  
_

Trivia:  
- The Cypress Street Viaduct collapsed back in 1989. It's been fixed.

Rhetorical:  
As a bad influence to humanity, I suggest you look up the following bands: Halestorm, Alice in Chains, The Living Things, and Burn Halo. Good music, my first 4 bands I've ever seen live. You'll like them.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Been very busy again (building bunkers for a paintball course lately.) Gar's way out of his element, things are moving too fast. Although now the biggest question gets answered: "why?". We're nearly at the end, one or two to go.

**If You Go Chasing Rabbits...**

There had to be a good reason why nothing Gar was searching for could ever be found easily, there just had to be. White Rabbit, TJ White, his left sock he'd left back at the Tower.. all things beyond his grasp no matter how long he searched for them...

Under the steel viaduct, the area is much the same as any other overpass in America. Dirt, concrete, graffiti, more dirt.. Trash along the ground, empty wrappers and soda bottles like rocks would appear in a field from time to time. No shotgun in his hand today but the knife can't be too far away, ready to appear at a moment's notice. Green eyes scan the area around, tired and haggard like the beard now thick on his face. Apparently the five nights since the visit to Bone's have been less and less rejuvenating for Garfield Mark Logan.

Still, to abandon hope now would be a waste. There's only a few places the homeless could sleep and by the curbs of the streets wouldn't be very likely. No, they'd need somewhere out of sight from would-be robbers and police shooing them away. _"Think like an animal"_, Question's words in his mind repeat themselves for the millionth or so time these past how-many days. Animals aren't complicated: food, water, shelter. But people aren't entirely like animals, they have one thing that animals don't possess, perhaps to their benefit: desire. What would a homeless man _want_ right now, especially TJ White? Something that's making Gar walk through the darkened underpass to find them, that's for sure.

... What would the others be doing right now? Chasing some guy in a mask maybe? Stopping a bank robbery? Maybe if he'd look at the newspapers, he'd be able to tell. If nothing relating to the job, perhaps having fun at home? Starfire dragging Jinx and Raven out to the local mall? It's enough to bring a hand to his face at the thought of Star pleading the two of them to join her for "the painting of the toe nails." A genuinely kind woman at heart, Starfire, but probably the least-willing people God could've set her with. Jinx would probably humor Star a little bit, the two _do_ seem to like pink.. but would Raven? No, she'd just say "no" and leave it at that no matter how hard Starfire begged. Raven always did have a funny way of shooting people down without purposely crushing your soul in the process.

...

What would they all say when they found out what he'd be doing?

..

Gar stops in his step, looking blankly ahead towards nothing in particular. Would the Titans condemn him for robbing a liquor store? Would Robin officially eject him from the team? Cyborg would be pissed when he found out he wouldn't be breaking Gar's "beer-cherry." So many things they'd yell at him, saying it's "wrong" and he should've found "another way"... And while they're right, he should've... is it possible it was the _only_ way? What if everything he...

"What'cha just starin' out boy? Hrah?"

No more rhetorical thoughts, Gar spins on one heel to the source of the voice, knife appearing in his hand. A haggard, old man steps back in fear from the sight of Gar's narrow, trained eyes. Animals don't like being snuck up on, especially when they're not paying attention. "Who are you?" Gar demands.

"Heyy! Put down da'god damn blade, son! This ain't no murda beef!" Hands up, the hobo looks honestly scared.

Gar doesn't lower the knife entirely "Who are you?". The repeating question doesn't sound nearly as forceful.

"I's ain't as important as you boy. What'cha be waivin' that knife for an'way?"

The old man doesn't appear to be much of a threat so Gar returns the blade back into his pocket sheath. "You startled me."

"Now ain't that a news flash, huh?" Pulling his ragged coat closer to his body, the man asks "You lost a somethin?"

Shake of the head, still serious in his tone "No, I'm looking for someone. TJ White, name ring a bell? I hear he lives down here."

"TJ? You mean that craz'y, dust-head fool?" Three teeth show through a laugh, yellow ones at that. "What'cha be lookin' for him fo'?"

"He's been killing women around North Jump lately. I'm here to bring him in." If Gar was worried about his cover, he doesn't seem to care here. "So, you've seen him I take it?"

"Not lately! Shit, he done been 'round here for a coup'le days! Funny thing, he always disappearin' for a few days then come back wit' a bag a Rabbit."

Eyebrow quirking, Gar asks "Rabbit? You mean White Rabbit, that new drug going around?"

Pointing, unsteady on his feet, the old man declares "Yeah.. THAT shit! Junkie ass, dusty-head mo'fucka."

"And when did you last see him?"

"Damn, uh.. prob'ly bout 2 day ago? Stayed for awhile then told ev'ryone he needed to go. You mean to tell me dusty-head TJ gon' kill anotha' girl?"

Reaching into his pocket, Gar produces a twenty dollar bill. Handing it over to the surprised hobo, Gar warns "Don't tell TJ I was here if you see him, cool?"

Finger in his ear, Gar ignores any glances from passing pedestrians. His conversation is more important right now than their concerns.

"I have a source down here that thinks TJ White is about to strike another victim."

Jake's voice echoes into his ear solemnly _"I hope so. My client tells me she hasn't heard from her friend for awhile. She's getting concerned."_

"Maybe she's laying low until.."

_"No. It's a lot more complicated than that. Since this started, they've been trying to keep an eye out for one another. But she can't be everywhere at once so she hired me."_

"But you can't be everywhere at once either." Gar reminds him frankly. "Are you going looking then?"

_"I don't think that'd be wise. If I leave my client alone, TJ White could get to her."_

Subtle, isn't he? "I take it you want me to babysit until you can find our missing friend?"

_"Not really. I don't think you'll enjoy having her around."_

Stop at the red light, wait for the cars to pass. "Oh, she's a handful I take it?"

_"I'll let you find out for yourself. Hope you can find the right address.."_

_Her apartment wasn't very different from the normal 2-story homes in the city. She didn't drive a Lexus, own a nice patio deck, or even bother to spruce up her front porch for the neighbors to see. From the outside, just another typical resident in North Jump City. But nothing was ever the way it seemed in North Jump. No matter how normal the exterior looked, the inside would be just as dirty as the city it stood in._

A quick look over both of his shoulders, no one appears to have followed him this time too. Maybe he'll be just as lucky on the inside with this meeting. Three knocks on the door, stepping back in case she decides to pull a gun on him.

Nothing, even after fifteen seconds.

"Ms. Franklin, I know you're in there. I'm not here to hurt you." Still nothing, one of Gar's fist balls up unconscious. "I'm an investigator working alongside Mr. Dewalt. I just want to ask you a few questions."

_"Go the fuck away, I know you ain't here to ask some simple "questions"! Do your job and catch TJ and quit bugging me!"_ A shrill, irritated voice shouts back in Gar's ears through the door.

"Hard for me to catch him if you don't give me some help out here." Gar responds, resisting the urge to just kick the door down. "And I'd rather not yell through your front door all day." Silence for a moment, his anger getting the best of him. "C'mon lady, let me in! I ain't gonna be any use if you don't let me _something_!"

.... rustle, metal unlatching. Doors unlocking, Gar sighs in relief.

Wildly the door opens, a woman with a head full of black hair, blue eyeliner, and nails four inches long appears. Her angry face seems accentuated by the bulge growing in her stomach. She nearly barks at him "Well, ain't you a skinny one?"

Raven would be proud of his glare. "A skinny kid trying to save _your_ ass Ms. Franklin."

"Then shit, I can sleep just fine tonight now can I?" she retorts, sarcasm dripping with each word. "You gonna come in or do I have to drag you in by your nose?"

"Mr. Dewalt told me the man who's been... killing your friends is TJ White. What relation is he to you?"

The table in front of them wouldn't be nearly as intimidating if there wasn't a .357 sitting in front of Ms. Franklin. "We go back a couple months that way." Cigarette smoking in her hand, she reminds him "You know we used to work together, right?"

Poor baby's gonna be born with three eyes and two toes but the information here is worth the smoke in the air. "News to me."

"Shit, you say you workin' for Mr. Dewalt? You some kind of newborn pig rookie?"

"He told me to talk to you, said you'd tell me what I needed to know. And right now you said you used to work with him. Where?"

A long drag, a stream of smoke. "Down at the docks, all six of us."

"This couldn't have been too long ago."

"Oh? How'd you think of that boy?"

Gar dares to suggest the obvious "I haven't seen a man around the house yet. Unless he's out right now, I can just imagine who's baby you're carrying."

"You's a real smart, motherfucker. But I don't like the attitude you're throwin' right now." Bluntness is a dangerous thing to use referring to a potential bastard child.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"Yeah, you're right, but you're givin' me this look like I did something wrong."

"TJ's killed three of your friends and possibly a fourth if you're not aware."

Throwing the cigarette at him, she yells "Course I fucking know she's missing! You think I'd have a gun down here and all the doors locked if I didn't _think_ that junkie psychopath didn't get my girl?"

"Then what's the connection between the six of you besides work? Why would he want to kill all five of you?"

The tantrum giving way to silence, Ms. Franklin reaches into her pack of smokes to light another up. Doesn't even care to look at her guest as he presses on.

"Some kind of argument maybe? A drugged-up frenzy because of the baby?" Suggestions, guesses...

"Boy like you should stay away from all this if you were smart. Only thing you gonna get from all of it is trouble and an early funeral." Sweet taste of nicotine, to hell with the bastard in her womb.

"I'll take my chances at the moment. You all worked together, what did he work as?"

"Junkie motherfucker... He didn't know how to keep his mouth shut and look what it got him."

Maybe the cranky mother-to-be is cracking. A lot could be read in that very statement. "About what?"

Looking at him, then away again, she warns "Nothin' you need to worry about if you know what I mean."

Patience gone, Gar stands up and runs his hands through his hair. Taking a breath, he warns "Look, I don't have time for this shit. There's a man _out there_ who wants to murder _you_ and _HIS_ child. For all I know, he doesn't even _know_ it's his kid!" She tries to intervene but Gar shouts "SHUT UP!" This even startles himself for a moment but he continues on. "Three women have been cut apart, the fourth one might as well be on the chop block. The only thing that's keeping this hobo from killing you is Jake and myself. But if you're not going to help _us_, I can't help _you_." Shrugging, Gar demands to know "How's that helping anyone? Seriously, that ain't helpin' no one but TJ and I don't even wanna help that homeless, junkie son of a bitch! So if you want to live, please, tell me everything so I can help you. Why does TJ want to kill all of you?"

...

Returning to his chair, Gar runs a hand through his hair again. "Please."

...

Nodding, smoke in her fingers, Ms. Franklin asks in earnest "Ever find out _why_ TJ White became a White Rabbit junkie?"

"No, never heard why." replies Gar. "He wasn't like this in the beginning?"

Putting out the smoke, she confirms "Nope. TJ was one of the most clear-headed people I'd ever known. A real _squeaky-clean_ person, no vices and no corruptions. That is until he found out just how dirty things really are. You see, there's only two real ways to make money in this world: Backstab your way to the top or help another person do it."

"And what did he stumble onto?"

"First thing's first, you gotta keep this between the three of us. You start talking to certain authorities about this, you'll find yourself in a very bad place understand?"

Eyes narrowed, cold, Gar nods back. "Agreed."

No more smokes to puff on, might as well just spill it. "Ever heard a drug cartel going by the name "Desades"?"

"No."

"You wouldn't; it's not something the media talks about often. See they wanted to bring some of their stuff in through North Jump's Docks but without certain connections you can't. So, my girls and I were approached one day to help make the necessary arrangements. We got some of the other guards and staff to go along with it, we'd share the paydays in return for silence."

Gar simply shakes his head in disbelief as she speaks onward.

"My boyfriend at the time, the now infamous TJ White, didn't know one little bit about all of this. He assumed I'd gotten a nice, pretty payraise from the company. That is until he found out one night when he saw some of the Desades bringing in the drugs. Now I wasn't about to give up a healthy paycheck ten times the amount the Port Authority was scraping. So, when the cops go there, instead of a clear-minded security guard... my girls and I made sure they were dealing with a mess of a man. We had him so pumped up on the stuff, he couldn't see his own fingers from an inch away. Police thought it was just a prank call and decided to leave it at that. Next morning he was fired and thrown out onto the street. Business continued as usual."

"Until he decided to get his revenge." Gar finishes, acid dripping from his tone. All along this murderer was just a serial killer chasing a group of friends for no obvious reason. In fact the truth is far more uglier than he could've imagined. The poor man must've realized when he came out of his drug coma he'd been set up and left for the dogs, snapping into insanity in the process. Yeah, a fate worse than death.. all set up by the woman he probably loved and couldn't wait to have his first child with.

"He's doing a good job of it too. I just hope you and Mr. Dewalt can keep him from finishing off my girl and me."

"Aren't you even sad about your other three friends? He tore them apart like turkies on Thanksgiving!" If only using that .357 was an option...

"I didn't know them as well as my girl that's missing. She'll turn up if TJ doesn't get a hold of her. In the end though, the less that know, the less that can testify against me."

Can't take it no more, Gar gets up and walks to the door. "Thanks for the information, Ms. Franklin. You truly are a rotten piece of shit."

"You gonna judge me, just like that huh? You gonna take a psychopath killer over me? Case you ain't realize, this ain't exactly a pretty world to live in. We all gotta do things to get by and survive. He made his decision and fucked up."

Turning the knob, Gar remarks "And you made your's too. And now you've might've fucked everyone over.. including your baby."

Outside, Gar calls Jake to warn him about the threat. "It's Gar. I just left that bitch's house."

_"Figured you wouldn't like her."_

"She set him up. All five of them set TJ White up. Now he's getting his payback and she's setting herself up to take the reward. Did you find her friend yet?"

_"Police say someone called in her location. She's being held by TJ at a warehouse by the bay."_

Stopping, Gar demands "And you didn't tell me this _why_?"

_"Just came in over the scanner minutes ago. I'm not staying idle myself either, Gar. Meet me at the warehouse as soon as you can."_

Looking back at Ms. Franklin's house, Gar warns "Let's hope this one isn't as bad as the other ones. The bitch'll freak out if she's next on the block."

A/N2: Gar's introduced to a true shade of gray here. This isn't robbing a store to deliver beer, this is murderous karma in action.  
Gar must feel like he's in a drug haze, everything's happening so fast and he can't control it.

Rhetorical: Two songs for motivation (on repeat): "Nothing Else Matter" by Metallica and "End of Small Sanctuary" from the Silent Hill 3 soundtrack. 


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Arc wraps up here.. It was a quick arc but Gar's life is moving too fast, out of control, needs to find a means to balance it. This is very dark but one of the scenes is the reason I wrote this entire arc (just like how one image helped create 88K-word Never Fear or 180K-word Watchman Mk.1).

**If You Go Chasing Rabbits...**

Everything's coming together now, or so Gar thinks. Waiting in the alley Jake asked him to wait at, Gar keeps his eyes trained on the rusting building across the street. The police haven't showed up, a surprise given the media attention given to TJ White's rampage. Maybe they believed it to be a crank call? It could be a joker, one that Gar would hate to be a part of. Not after flying home at a falcon's pace to pick up his shotgun. He _could_ go in right now on his own but going cowboy right now could get two people killed and it's better to be safe than sorry.

When the black Monte Carlo pulls up to the alley, Gar is greeted by Jake and a police .38 special in his hand.

"Kinda small, isn't it?" Gar remarks on the pistol's design.

With a spin of the barrel to check the ammo, Jake retorts "I don't need to compensate."

"Ooh, nice one. What did you hear?" Change the subject before Jake goes for another jab.

"Suspicious call to the precinct suggesting the, as yet, unnamed serial killer has another victim hidden in the warehouse. Police patrol came by and said no sign of forced entry was detected and drove off."

Gar sneers at the statement "Typical. Didn't even follow up."

"Probably because it's not TJ's normal method of killing. He _had_ been killing them in their homes." Snap, the revolver locks back into position. "How about we go find out if something changed?"

Holding the shotgun up a bit, the ex-Titan declares "I can hardly wait."

Past the weakened fencing, across the pallet-strewn dockyard, and finally up to the rear door with it's broken lock.

"No sign of forced entry, huh?" Gar remarks as the obvious remains of a keylock sit at the bottom of the sliding doorway.

"We'll worry about corruption later. You're going in first." Jake orders.

Eyes wide, Gar demands back "And why's that? You're the professional here."

"I have a police handgun, a gun that might as well be a BB gun next to your fucking anti-aircraft rifle." Rookies and their complaints.

"You have better aim. I've never fired this before."

Glaring, this is going no where. "Let's hope you don't have to then. Now open the fucking door."

Gar mimics Jake's voice under his breath as he starts to open the door. "Get ready."

BOOM

The door slides open with a thud at the end, Gar jumping into the open space with his shotgun searching for targets. From this range he'd be lucky to kill but his green eyes can see a would-be shooter before they can fire off a round.

"Looks clear. Where do you want to go?" whispers Gar, best not to let TJ know he's in the building if the door hadn't already.

"You take the office above, I'll sweep the ground level. Keep an open eye."

Thumb up, Gar cracks a grin, his trademark fang far-less pronounced "Keep both of them open and we might survive."

Up the steps, slowly, gun facing forward.. If that dust-head is around here, he could pop out at any second. Nothing but dust and metal in the air to fill his nose, nothing like the smell of sweat, dirt, and body odor to hone in on. The lump in his throat grows bigger with each step, eyes twitching ever so slightly. Where can he be? Is he even_ here_?

Around the corner towards the manager's office, past the scaffolding. The wood door looks closed, he must be inside. If he tries to kick the gun away from Gar's hand, that hunting knife should come in handy. Three steps away, a breath to compose himself. Nothing heard on the inside but it's hard to hear when you can hear the beating of your own heart like speakers.

_"One... two... THREE"_

A hard boot to the door, the lock gives way and a young man steps into the office...

...

With wide eyes, gun lowering in shock, the sight in the room sends chills up his spine and his jaw slackening.

Eyes wide staring up at the ceiling, a woman with brown skin and missing clothes lies drenched in blood. From neck to navel she's carved apart, intestines strewn around her waist like a belt, ribs broken and lungs exposed.. A thud echoes as Gar drops to his knees, the gun forgotten. TJ White, Jake, the Desades, White Rabbit.. the Doom Patrol, Titans... all a memory now at the sight before his gaze. Too much to take in, this isn't a chalk line figure but a once living human torn apart like a Thanksgiving turkey. How fitting he would compare this carnage to a turkey no less than an hour prior to the last woman to know TJ White?

And yet, only one word is whispered against cold, shallow sobs. _"Mother.."_

"Gar? Any luck up there?" Jake yells up but those words are lost on Gar's green ears. What kind of sadistic shit is this? If she was right, TJ was an honest man who wanted to protect the world from the poisons, not become the world's judgment. Could he have really torn her apart like this and, if so, how _long_ ago?

"Mother of Christ..." Jake mutters in awe at the sight before him. A young adult on his hands and knees, a bloody corpse at the back of the room. "Four down."

"Jake.." Gar starts to stammer out but is cut off.

"Don't even try and put this into words, there's nothing you could say that would do justice. We know he's killed four of them, that leaves just the last."

So calm, or at least pretending to be. How many dead bodies has he seen to make him this stoic? "We have to tell Ms. Franklin."

"More importantly we should get her out of the city until we catch TJ. Other wise no one will survive." Jake agrees. "That is _if_ she decides to cooperate and actually leave."

Slowly, soul in pain, Gar arises to his feet and informs him "I'll go talk to her about this. Could you call the police in?"

"Yeah, I'll take care of the police. She might not listen to you though."

Eyes meeting Jake's, the shining reflection of tears matches a heartache Jake hasn't seen since.. "I'll make her listen. I won't let him kill anybody else. This ends today."

Picking his cell phone from his pocket, Jake tells him "Twenty minutes. Cops should be here and I can be over at her house in two hours. Hopefully you'll have her in a hotel out of the city by then."

The flight back to Ms. Franklin's is a hard one. Vultures apparently can cry but it doesn't harm his eyesight any. It's one thing to see your own flesh and blood drown, they died from a lack of air rather than shock and wounds. They slipped below the water like boats in the ocean... but this... God in heaven, this is entirely something else. How could Robin maintain his sanity through it all? Or Jinx, Raven, Starfire even? They've most likely seen death far more often than he and yet they seem to survive.. What kind of wild dog would do this? She better not put up a fight this time or she'll be thrown out of her own house with a twelve-gauge up her ass.

Back on the sidewalk in front of her house, Gar's human form stares at the front door with red, puffy eyes. A breath to settle his nerves, he lowers the gun and moves to the door. A couple of knocks, once again nothing. Not now, don't pretend you're not home. Hell, if she really was gone, her car wouldn't be out front still.... Then again, after a couple more knocks, nothing.

"Fuck this."

No neighbors looking around, Gar shifts his body into a cockroach and walks under the door. Inside, human again, cigarette smoke fills the air like a dirty fog. Walking towards the kitchen, it isn't the sound of running water that has his attention but the back door that appears to be hanging slightly open.

"Must be out back."  
Eyes peering out of the screen window, Ms. Franklin doesn't seem to be in the grass yard. The running water also raises concern. Waste of water, the dishes still in the sink... almost like she was _interrupted_.

THUD, a heavy bang upstairs catches his gaze.

"FUCK"

Up the stairs in a flash, gun aiming forward.. no... no no no..

Bedroom door open, the sound of growling and groaning echo in the narrow confine. The open space reveals a horror that makes his previous nightmare ten times greater.

On the bed, a man in very ragged clothes straddles the once-living Ms. Franklin with a rusty knife in his hands. Bringing them down from above, he drives the blade over and over again into her stomach and heart.. Blood sprays, flesh flies, the smell of his own bodily stench overshadowed by the smell of copper and bodily fluids.

It doesn't take but a second for Gar to drop the gun and spear TJ White off of the bed with a roar fitting of a lion. Surprised, TJ drops his knife as the two crash to the floor. Disoriented, Garfield Mark Logan abandons sanity and levels TJ with several hard punches to the fast, jamming his skull into the floor twice.

"WHY?" he screams in his face, blood mixing with the dirt on his victim's beard.

Also to his surprise comes when TJ starts complaining "C'mon man, let on off me! You givin' me a headache!"

Gar balls his hands together to bring a club down onto TJ's face but the murderer counters, throwing Gar backwards and away towards the door. Quick as a cat despite his injury, TJ grabs the knife from the floor and holds it out. Gar doesn't hesitate either as he regains his bearings. Hunting knife in his own to match TJ's rust-laden blade, Gar snarls in rage.

"Why? Why did you do it?"

Also laboring for breath, TJ White's eyes are glossy and wild. "The bitch took ev'rything I had. She took my green, she took my job.. shit, bitch even said I couldn't even visit MY baby... And them other bitches too, they all in on in." Arms spread out, TJ dares "Now they ain't laughin' so good, is they?"

Gar snarls louder, teeth barred. Animal instincts kicking in but TJ suggests. "And now what you gonna do, kill me huh boy? Gonna put that blade in my chest just like I's did to these bitches, huh? You gon do that to ME? You even KNOW what theys did to ME?"

"Framed you for drug possession and trafficking, made you into a homeless junkie." As he finishes the statement though, Gar's eyes take on a wider approach. Recognition sets in as TJ hobbles back and forth on his feet like a drunk. "You were at the crime scene last week, weren't you? I saw you in the crowd."

Arms up, flailing with the knife, TJ staggers a few steps back and answers "Prob'ly. I's waitin' for one of the other bitches come snoopin' around really... maybe, can't think to myself real good right now with all this thinkin."

"You even killed an innocent _child_..." Gar's curse, acidic and harsh. "You'd even kill a _BABY_!"

Tapping the knife with his own finger, TJ warns "I gave it life... and I took it away too.. Baby in a better place now, ain't it? Hey, know why I use this here dirty, rusty ol' knife?"

"I don't want to know you piece of.."

"Cuz if you use a rusty blade, even if the fool you cuttin' ain't bleedin' to death, good chance they gonna get that there Ta..ta..ta-berk-u-locis? Kill em if you can't kill em, Jack! Woo!"

No more, Gar demands "You wanna kill someone? Come on over here right now and try this on for size."

"Woo baby, sounds fine and fun for me!"

The tables turn though as TJ advances. Gar doesn't use the knife, not at first. The thrust by TJ is used against him as Gar throws him into the wall face first. Plucking the knife from TJ's hand, Gar uses his own to impale both through TJ's hands into the drywall. Surprisingly the drugged-up murderer doesn't scream beyond a simple howl of ironically funny pain. The sickening feeling only grows in Gar as he lands a hard right across TJ's face.

"You're a wild dog, TJ White."

Eyeing up his shotgun, Gar gives one last glance at TJ with teeth barring, sucking in air. Stepping over, slowly, Gar takes the firearm in his hand and aims it from his rib.

"Know what happens to wild dogs? They get taken behind the shed, where the children can't see, and get it right between the eyes."

Pressing the gun to TJ's chest, Gar emphasizes "Because if you shoot them in the heart then they might survive long enough for you to watch them suffer." Moving it to his forehead, he continues unsure where this is going. No care in his mind though, this sick canine needs to be taught a lesson they'll both never forget. "But if you get them in the brain, they die in an instant. No additional remorse, no extra pain... What kind of sick bastard are you? What kind of bastard are you helping to make _me_? Did you kill them slow and suffering or quick and painless?"

TJ, for the first time in their small fight, starts to show some semblance of fear, especially with the gun pointing an inch from one of his eyes.

"WELL, WHICH ONE? YOU ONLY CUT THEM UP A HUNDRED TIMES OR SO?" Pressing the barrel into TJ's eye, Gar shouts for an answer.

"Suffering.." TJ whimpers, afraid for his life.. the drugs may be coming down or switching gears. "I.. I didn't want to... but.. they..

"They WHAT? MADE YOU do it? Well... you know what?" Gar pumps the gun once, pushing a round into the chamber. "I hate to say it but YOU'RE making ME do this! Old Yeller needs to be put down."

Begging, screaming now, TJ demands for mercy. "PLEASE! I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I DOING, OK? I'M SICK, I'MA FUCKING JUNKIE CAUSE OF THEM! I'D EAT SHIT FOR SPARE CHANGE, THEY'D VIDEOTAPE IT AND PUT IT ON THE COM'PUTER! PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE!"

Gar steps back to the head of the bed, eye down the sight. "Suffering it is. Two inches away, your head gets blown off. Five feet away and the shots will hit all over your body. Nothing but pain, agony.. Just like you did to them, all SIX of them!"

Against the cries of mercy from TJ, the cold, hard look on Gar only focuses on the job ahead.

....

Gun shaking, tears in TJ's face, hand beginning to shake harder. No shot is fired even as the muscles in Gar's face twitch from the stress. A little more weight on the trigger and the deed is done.

"Pull that trigger and you'll never see another day of freedom again." Monotone, calculating.. unexpected.

Eyes snapping behind him, Gar's wild expression turns to wild surprise "Question? How the hell did..?"

"That's not as important as what you're about to do. Lower your firearm or you'll spend the rest of your life on the run." His faceless facade betrays no emotion contrast to the horrified sight on Gar's face.

"A wild dog..."

"Is just that, a wild dog. I told you to think like an animal. In doing so you caught a monster. Now it's time to hand him over to the proper authorities."

"Bullshit!" Gar spits, looking back at TJ. "They'll just let him go like always. They didn't even check that warehouse he left his last victim at. No, he's too dangerous. He'll kill again, I know it."

"Are you certain about that?"

"It doesn't matter what I'm _certain_ about! I just _know_ it. God damn it, let me put this monster down for good!"

Question steps over in front of Gar, blocking his shot. Back to his associate, Q pulls the hunting knife from TJ's hand but leaves the other in.

"Damn you." Gar whispers, the gun lowering slightly but no where near shaking any lighter.

"In a few minutes you'll be glad you didn't do this."

"And why's that?"

Fingering his earpiece, Question calls in "Watchtower, two out."

Two bodies disappear in a haze of blue and white light, leaving a bloody corpse, a badly injured TJ White, and police sirens growing louder outside of the house. This wild dog will live to see another day.

Appearing on the roof of the abandoned building Gar's been using, the green metahuman drops to a sit, rage giving way to agony. Tears, harder than any since his parents' death stream forth. Like a mental victim he rocks back and forth with his arms around his legs balled up while the man in blue and yellow looks down emotionless.

"This was a far more dangerous mission than most rookies like yourself would be given. You were given this assignment however because I believed you could handle it."

"It's too much.. it's all just too fucking much!"

"To be frank, you've only gotten a glance at the true face that has become Jump City. What you witnessed these past two weeks was the final act in a small, painful tragedy that has repeated itself endlessly throughout history."

"Question, please..." Gar pleads, not this kind of shit now. He's a fucking mess and Q's quoting philosophy!

"But in doing so you have become prepared for the fight ahead of you against those who wronged you. What you'll take from this is invaluable. Did you presume you could walk into the lion's den with nothing but determination and a hissy fit?"

"I... I don't know what..."

"You won't understand for a little while. However, although you technically failed in your mission, you've done enough to mentally prepare yourself for what you need to do if you want to save Jump City's soul."

Finally, sobs ending, Gar looks up and asks "Mentally? You call this mentally prepared?"

"You're far better prepared to handle it now than you were when you woke up this morning. But now comes the hard part for you, Garfield Logan."

"The hard part?"

"Tomorrow morning we're leaving for Hub City. If you intend to go to war with this city's drug cartels and organizations, you'll need my help. I can show you how to fight but it's you that needs to be prepared to do what's necessary to win."

"But... tomorrow... and everything here..?"

"You're in a state of shock. That's why we leave in the morning, allow yourself to calm for the night. If I were you, I'd spend my last night in the city for the next several months amongst friends."

The Titans? Really? Go back to the tower after he nearly took the jump into murder and armed robbery? Is he insane? "But, when they find out what I've done, they'll.."

"They don't know. They know you've been gone for two weeks, all else is beyond them. Go back to the Tower now and collect yourself. Contact me tomorrow at seven. Bring only the clothes on your back."

Outside of the roof hatch leading to the top floor of the Tower, Gar feels numb at the gripping handle. This is too much, all way too much. One minute, he blinked and was sleeping in his bed back at Titan Tower. The next, he's nearly blowing hollowpoints into a serial murderer's chest in North Jump. With a full beard, bad body odor, dirty hair, and ragged clothes... Removing the ring, no need for a disguise here, he's amazed to see green again for the first time in weeks. Maybe Raven's noticed his presence by now?

Whoosh, the doors leading from the corridor to the living room open to a bright, white, and clean living room. Couches, red carpet, big TV, black table... five Titans sitting around chatting enjoyably... Starfire notices him first and Gar suddenly gets a very heavy feeling in his chest.

"BEAST BOY! YOU ARE HOME!"

_I'd like to say I enjoyed coming home to the Tower, I do. At the time it was like looking into heaven and finding nothing but bliss waiting. The Titans swarmed on me like flies on a hunk of shit... They were glad to have me back, pointing out I looked like I'd been through a warzone. I just told them it was a rough two weeks but I managed to finish what I started. Sad for them to find out I was just stopping by to tell them I'd be leaving the city for awhile to help with some "personal" problems. Looks like I'd be sticking to my cover story more than I thought I would. _

_Starfire had a deathgrip on me at one point so bad I wondered if she knew I couldn't breathe. Robin was curious where I got the shotgun and knife from, as were the rest of the gang, but I didn't lie when I told them I found it along the way. Cyborg was trying to get me to laugh by asking how a green bean like me could sneak past his security without him knowing. I smiled but it wasn't the same smile... it was that same smile you put on when your ex announces she's getting married and you still love him or her. Pretend to be happy but really want to fall down somewhere and melt into the floor, never to emerge again. Raven, Jinx, and probably Robin had to have known I was screaming on the inside from the day's hell but they didn't seem to show it..._

_That was January of 2007... In terms of my new life after Beast Boy, it made one hell of a prologue to a horrific life about to unfold._

A/N2_: _As I explained to a dear friend of mine, there's a difference between pulling a trigger and it not shooting and shakily not pulling the trigger. Gar had second thoughts, had reservations, was about to pull it but didn't.. If he did pull it and it didn't work, he'd be a murderer even if he didn't fire. But Gar's had a lot of trauma in this one day and yet survived just enough to become shell shocked in his own home at the Tower. This arc ends with one of the more darker, grayer short-series that I've ever done.

Coming up next will be a small, 1-3 chapter mini-arc involving Gar but also showcasing a neat little scenario between some very interesting people. This is before the re-master of "Never Fear".. oh and just wait until you see Scarecrow.

Rhetorical: You didn't expect for me to write TJ killing the baby, did you?_  
_


	9. Time To Take Her Home

A/N: I finally get to write some villains! And happy ones with evil tendencies, booze references, horrible ethnic slurs, and did I mention booze? Part 1 of this small arc.

---

**Time To Take Her Home...**

**June 2007**

"We'll be there in a couple of minutes Mr. Desade." a man in black informs from the front seat of a plush, black leather vehicle.

"Cool." A bass voice echoes back, sound of shuffling in the back. "I hope this one goes smoother than the last."

"It will, dad. Everything's gonna be fine." To his right, a woman with very red eyes and black hair reassures him. Blood red crimson throughout her dress, black fishnets ending at blacker boots. If not for the sinister bent in her grin, this woman might be presented as attractive in the minimum.

"As long as Marin isn't late again. You know I'm worried about your brother sometimes, Rose."

Flighty, almost absent-minded, Rose brushes off the concern "Don't worry about Marin, dad. He's so busy running his nightclub he hasn't had any time to get into real trouble."

"Trouble that we _know_." the stern voice replies.

Shrugging, she counters "Have a little faith, he'll make you proud someday. In the meantime, who's gonna be here?"

"Ah there's Bryson, some of his goons. I hear the Triads wanted in this meet to."

"The Triads? I didn't know you did business with them?"

A snort of indignation "Those little slanted-eyed beggars? I'd be caught working with the DEA before them. No, Bryson does business with them so I guess that makes them feel important."

"I also hear Bryson's got a new bodyguard."

Rose's face looks a little excited at the mention of new "protection" for Mr. Bryson. "Behave yourself this time. You can play with the new kid after the grownups do business."

"Coming up on the warehouse now sir."

"Ah good. Nice to see we've arrived last. Oh well, if you're gonna arrive late, show up in style!"

Security doing their routine sweeps through Desade's crew, they're surprised to hear the metal detector go wild around the boss's body. No guns, knives, or bombs can be found however. "I've got a _magnetic_ personality." the boss assures them.

Walking into the main meeting room, a dozen or so tables illuminated by two of the flood lights above, Desade throws his arms out wide. His graying, black hair seems dully lit in the warehouse light. Black leather vest unzipped, white shirt and silver necklace around his neck, black jeans for pants, the Desades boss looks more like a member of the Hell's Angels than a drug baron. Age doesn't seem to hide the mirth behind his round, black-tint glasses. "Nice to see the party's started without the big man!"

Sitting around the table are two distinct parties: One sect of white men in black suits, the other sect with Asian skin.. in black suits.

"What is this, a funeral?" Desade booms, nearing his seat the table.

The man to the left of the table, his entourage around him, speaks growly and low. Black hair, like Desades, only seems to accentuate the iron gaze in his right eye. "Keep us waiting again and it might be."

Rose's smile grows darker, eyes raising a hair as one of her fists ball up. Bryson, noticing this, taps his hand on the table twice. One of the member of his posse steps behind him in view. To the Desades' surprise, a Chinese woman in a black and white Kimono stands with her arms crossed. At first it would seem this is a joke but the equally hard stare in her eyes would display the other.

"Now now, that's not helping matters. You can blame Jump City's horrible traffic on the delay. But now that I'm here, let's get to business."

"Mr. Bryson, why does this man not introduce himself to us?" the Triad leader demands, each word spoken with as thick of an Asian accent as you can get.

Sitting down now, his henchmen and Rose behind him, Desade boisterously asks "My apologies. Who might you little men be? I could hardly see you from way over here."

Standing up, palms on the table, the Triad warns "How dare you insult us in this manner? Were it not for Mr. Bryson's request for neutrality.."

"Enough, both of you." Bryson warns, anger seeping into his voice. "Antoine, don't be a hardass about this."

Grinning face turning to the man in black, Desade asks with an evil sarcasm "Isn't that same hardass-ness that got you that nice little boo-boo on your face, _Bulletface_?"

Head turning directly towards Desade, Bryson reveals his namesake scar. Centering at his left cheekbone, a large web-shaped scar dominates his left. Arcs out under his eye, to his ear, mouth, and jaw, it looks like something serious happened in the past. Bryson maintains his composure despite the look of terror on his mens' faces. "How's that little investigation into your connections at the North Jump Port Authority going? I hear they've been linking it to the TJ White murders earlier in the year..."

Waving his hand in dismiss, Desade answers simply "It'll go nowhere. The cops know if they try to bring the heat on me, they'll lose quite a pretty penny around town."

"Bribes won't keep everyone away, _Desade_. I hear the DEA and the FBI might want to have a word with you." Bulletface's face starts to turn to a contorted grin, the scar on his face not helping the muscles any. "I'd _hate_ to see them drag you in _chains_."

Coy smile gone, Desade's face is as stone as he can make it ".. Touche', Bryson." Clearing his throat, Desade offers to the Chinese "My apologies for not introducing myself." Standing up, Desade bows politely "Antoine Desade, leader of the Desade family and syndicate."

His Chinese counterpart also returns the bow. "I am Mao of the Jump City Triads."

"Mao like the Communist leader?" Desade asks curious.

"It is the name I choose to represent. Only a few on this planet know of my real name."

Nodding, Desade agrees "Fair enough. Now, let's all get to business gentlemen."

Late evening in the subway heading to North Jump. Sitting in the middle of the car, a woman in a blue jacket sits patiently with headphones in her ear. No more than 24, Irish-red hair covering the side of her face in bangs, black shoes tapping to the beat, she seems oblivious to the other passengers on the train. Perhaps she should, some of the men on-board notice her. Hard to hear them from the sound of Alanis Morisette's "You Oughta Know" ringing in her eardrums. It's only the fact the "NORTH JUMP DOWNTOWN" light appears that gets her out of her trance for a moment to stand up, moving for the door. The three men that were eyeing her also depart, slipping out of the door before they close.

Out of the subway station, down the street, her music in her ears keeps her further unaware as the men grow closer and closer. Only when she stumbles on a crack, dropping her iPod, do the men swarm ahead to surround her. No more music, the headphones come off at the sight as her good mood changes to fear.

"Sorry miss, couldn't help but notice you dropped your music player there. Mind if we help?"

"No, it's ok.. I got it.."

"Aw, c'mon." One of the other goons plays in "Now that's being rude."

"We were gonna do you a favor.. but now maybe you can do us one?"

Standing up, the woman reaches for her purse but one of the men rips it away.

"Sorry man, we don't want you reachin' for any mace or nothing. Look, we're just here to ask you if you know were Mr. Dewalt happens to be these days?"

"Mr. Dewalt? Who the hell is..?"

A little more louder, angrier, another demands "Lady, don't shit us. You're working with Jake's girlfriend back at the Hyatt in Jump. You two aren't exactly just everyday co-workers, you happen to be friends with both of them. So maybe you can shed a little light on our problem then?"

As they close in closer, she warns them "I don't know where he is! Back off from me right now or.."

The lead man steps up to her face, daring her "Or you'll _what_? Look around you, miss. You're in North Jump, Desades territory. Even if the police come, do you think they'll even care? By the time they got here, all they'll find is you bloody corpse."

"I'm serious, I don't know anything. I just _work_ with her, I don't know.." Fear growing as their smiles grow darker, darker than the night sky above them.

"Well I don't _know_ what you know or not. But I do know you were going to try and mace me and my friends."

"We don't like when bitches try to spray us in the face, you know?"

"Yeah, makes my eyeballs burn for days. Not very good, eh?"

"No, it ain't. So, I guess we'll just have a little _fun_ with you first before we leave you for the mean-wagon."

Against her screams, the men move in for the kill...

...

"Got a light?"

Two of the men turn around, startled. Bad move as a match is struck from the skin on one of the men's faces. Before he has time to wince and curse the pain, a can of Axe spray is raised and fire vomits forth. Racing up both men's shirts, the stream of fire and spray sets the garments ablaze, their owners retreating for the moment in a panic.

The woman goes flying to the curb as the third men throws her hard. Crowbar in his hand, he spins it while the can of axe is dropped. Swinging the iron like a club, the weapon is caught in mid-swing, a punch to the face stuns him long enough for the weapon to be pried out. Gripping the iron like an arm-guard, the weapon is forearmed across his head, knocking the would-be attacker to the ground, unconscious.

By now the other two goons have revived and approach in rage. Their wild punches and lunges are deflected or avoided, shots with the crowbar giving far more pain than any returned. With a back forearm shot with the iron, another goon suffers a body shot then a knockout blow to the face. Finally the last man is hit in the ribs, flipped over onto his stomach, and has his arm held up in the air with his fingers in a clutch.

"You alright, ma'am?" Cold, emotionless, the voice beckons the would-be victim.

"Yeah.. I'm.. I'm ok.. what's..?"

Ignoring her confusion, he orders "Come over here and step on his fingers when I ask you to. Can you do that?"

"Can I _what?"_

"I'll never tell you ANYTHING! You hear me? NOTHING!"

Snapping one of the man's fingers, a sarcastic reply "I believe you owe the lady an apology for what you dogs were about to do."

Stepping over to the man, she looks down in fright. This man was about to.. to.. putting a foot near his hand, she looks to her savior.

"I ain't apologizin' for.."

"Now."

A hard step, apprehensive at first, suddenly fills with malice a few seconds later. His screams of pain, screams that would've been _her_'s if not..

"Apologize."

"Ok.. OK! I'm sorry! I'M FUCKING SORRY, OWOWWW!"

"You can let go now." he informs the woman quickly. "Now, why were you out here?"

"They said they were looking for Jake Dewalt. They think I know him." The woman answers before the hostage can speak. "He's a Desade though!"

Two fingers snap, hard. "A Desade, huh? So you got friends in high places?"

"Yeah.. and they're gonna FUCK YOU UP PAL!"

"His ribs next. Go ahead."

No hesitation this time, she levels him with a swift kick to his ribcage. Howling, more pain comes forward and no end in sight.

"Just... just fucking kill me already! Please!"

"Where can I find the Desades?"

"They're mainly in Jump City, you moron! They only use North Jump for shipping and street-level selling, I swear!" Three fingers snap, even this woman winces at the sound. "IT'S THE TRUTH, JESUS THIS FUCKING HURTS, LET ME GO!"

"I'll let you go.. but I want you to tell your masters something for me, got it?"

"JESUS, ANYTHING! WHAT?"

"Tell them I'll be watching." Releasing the hand, a swift boot across the face shuts up the man for now, darkness replacing the pain of three bent fingers.

Bryson begins in earnest "Last week we found out through a source in Gotham that some big shots out East are coming out for a visit. Rumor has it Rupert Thorne might be coming to have a sit-down with us."

Pushing his glasses up from his nose, Desade asks "Just Thorne? We can deal with that old piece of.."

"He might be bringing out a few others as well. I also hear the Irish are interested in starting an East-West deal regarding the weapons trade. I don't think Thorne's here for some AK's and grenades though."

"Having the Irish out here could make things complicated. The only thing that ever benefits from them coming to town are the pubs and police stations."

"And what about this Rupert Thorne?" Mao asks, the conversation seeming very two-sided instead of three. "Is it possible he is after the White Rabbit trade?"

"Smart man." Desade offers to Mao but warns "More than likely he is. It's been the one thing beside the Titans that have flourished as of late.'

"With Rupert Thorne in town, that Robin might become more suspicious of our activities." Bryson warns. "Perhaps we should meet our Gotham guest out of the city limits?"

Waving this one off too, Desades informs his colleague "Don't worry about those super-teens, Bryson. Any threat they pose is just one to Rupert, not to us. We've been told the Mayor won't allow those kids to chase us. They're afraid it could start a war with all those _innocent_ civilians in the way."

"I'm not so sure about that." Bryson counters. "Over in North Jump there was a story going around about the guy that caught TJ White. They said it was some white kid no one ever saw and he was taking on all kinds of trouble out there."

"So?"

"My point is that _kid_ cleaned up a mess that _you_ started. What are the odds that he'd try again?"

"About none to one. He probably just had a grudge and now it's settled. Has he turned up since?"

A hushed chuckle, Bryson agrees "No.. maybe you're right?"

"We should not worry about grasshoppers when our enemy is a thunderstorm, gentlemen." Mao cuts in. "Gotham City is coming to town and we must have a plan to deal with this problem."

Desade smiles a bit at this "If you're worried about Thorne, Mr. Mao, then your priorities are indeed _slanted_. We have this city wrapped so tight around our fingers it's amazing we aren't mayor yet."

"Do not gloat too much, Mr. Desade. One who believes he is invincible is certain to be defeated." Mao warns wisely.

"Chinese proverb I take it? I got an American one for you and it only takes one finger.."

Bryson interjects "Antoine, enough! Listen, we have to deal with these intruders from Gotham before they decide to start making demands."

"And what exactly _can_ they demand from us? A cut of the action won't appease them nor is it going to make certain people happy." Desade warns, arms crossed.

Looking to his bodyguard, Bryson asks for his flask. Taking a sip of the metallic container, the smell of bourbon fills the room around him. Some drops dribble out on his scarred-portion of the face, the lip not entirely sealing the mouth. Two-Face would be jealous to have so little damage. "My Chinese friends and I agree that any attempt to strongarm us would count as an invasion of our territory."

"Any incursion by those Italians and Irish should be seen an invasion by the police department." Mao pipes in. "My Triads and our allies will not stand for this."

"What about you, Antoine? How far as you willing to protect your stake?" Bryson asks, finger tapping on the table.

A cigar is handed to him by Rose, her glare still fixed to Bryson's bodyguard. Lighting it, he takes a long puff of the cherry-flavored tobacco before blowing into the air. "With your weapons and my financial backers, I'd assume any would-be "invasion" by Gotham would be a waste. If our Chinese friends over here are indeed on the level with us, I'd say we have nothing to worry about."

"You didn't answer the question." Mao reminds, the condescending attitude towards his gang not lightly ignored.

'Eye glaring at Mao through the lenses of his shades, Desade beckons "We already know the answer. Thorne tries to impose on our territory, I'll see to it that Gotham has one less crime boss, or his head, to worry about."

Standing, Bryson announces "So we're all in agreement. Any attempt at Gotham trying to interfere with our business will result in open war. We're all clear on that?"

"Right-o" Desade chimes in.

"We are clear." Mao replies assuredly.

Bryson holds out his flask, tossing it over to Desade. "Since we're all in agreement, I propose a toast to our three-way alliance as it were. It's been a long time since all 3 of Jump City's players were united in soul."

Grin on his face, Desade takes a hefty gulp of the drink. "Ahh, you always did like Dewar's. And don't get too excited about this little "alliance", we're only in it for our own money." Mao finds the drink tossed into his lap rather than politely passed to him. "How about you, _Mao_? Any proverbs to share in this toast?"

Eyeing the flask, now defiled by two other men, Mao abandons his reservations and sips a small bit from the flask. "Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer."

Back in their car, Desade and Rose look confident the plan will work. Then again, Desade has the obvious smell of Scotch on his person while Rose is decidedly free of the drink.

"Friends close and enemies closer, huh?" Desade wonders to himself. "Cunning little snake, isn't he?"

"Do you trust him" Rose asks

"Of course not, he's a "friend" of Bryson's. I only trust Bryson so long as he keeps us stocked with guns. And I could never trust a man with shifty eyes. Still, it'll be wise to play ball with the two of them until we're strong enough to handle both."

Finger tapping on her leg, she dares "You think they'll turn on you someday, don't you?"

"The biggest arms dealer in the metro area along with the manpower of the Chinese? It's a possibility."

Her face stretches in a grin however. "Something tells me you're not worried about it though."

His own grin matches her's accordingly. "Of course not. Keep a dog on a chain, you can stand one foot-too-far with nothing to fear."

The phone in her pocket rings, cutting off the little father-daughter moment. Looking at the screen, she tells him straight-faced "It's Marin."

Taking the phone, Desade asks in a serious voice of his own "Son? Where were you? The meeting's already over."

_"I got a call from a couple of guys from North Jump. They called me and said someone beat them real bad."_

"You missed a meeting because some of your _goons_ got beat up a little bit?" This isn't like his son at all.

_"They were trying to get information out of a woman that knows Jake Dewalt. He's the P.I. that.."_

Eyes out towards the passing scenery, Desade cuts him off "I _know_ who Jake Dewalt is. What did they find out?"

_"Nothing. Before they could make her talk, some white kid came out of no where and put them in the hospital. Two of them have concussions and the third had most of his fingers broken."_

"Hmm.. Sounds like someone I'd like to meet.." Desade whispers to himself.

_"What? Sorry, didn't catch that?"_

"Nothing, Marin. I want you to handle this, understand? I know it could be a long-shot but if he's the one that caught TJ White, teach him that vigilantism is breaking the law. Especially when they end up breaking _my_ men! Got it?"

_"Understand dad. Hope to see you tonight at the club."_

"I don't know if I'll be coming. But maybe you'd like to invite your sister and her boyfriend?"

Rolling her eyes at his expression, Rose keeps looking out her window.

_"She's always invited but why do you let her keep seeing that..."_

"Now now, Marin. That's not for you to worry about, that's my job. Now, see you in the morning. _Please_ don't overdo it tonight. You're a Desade, not a goddamn Wayne!"

Hanging up the phone, Rose looks back at her father. His expression is neutral but also a bit thoughtful in his eyes. Eyes, deep in the sockets, stare ahead but not with any serious attention.

"You ok?" She inquires.

"Marin said some of his men were attacked in North Jump.. Beat pretty bad. Might be TJ White's capturer."

"Heard you talking about that. What are you gonna do?"

"Nothing. It's probably just some do-gooder doing it to show off." Eyeing the Titan Tower in the distance, he finishes with "There's a lot of them in this city."

Still catching her breath, the woman looks to her savior with a mixture of relief and fear. On one hand, he _did_ save her from three muggers and possibly rapists. On the other, he just tortured a man and nearly set two on fire!

"You ok?" Gar asks, his cold tone giving way to something a little more human. "Sorry if I scared you."

"No... thank you. I.. I didn't know they were.."

"I didn't know either. I saw them follow you after our stop. Gotten pretty good at telling the bad seeds from the good." Hair slightly longer than before, Gar's face looks more rugged and cut in just these past 6 months. If not the off-brown trench coat around his body, then the faded jeans around his legs serve as reminder than not all heroes need to look sharp and bright. Sometimes being a hero can work on a one-on-one level.

"That's a way of putting it."

"Well, stay safe. Don't let these fools ruin your night." Gar offers politely, turning to walk back into the darkness beyond.

"Wait, don't go."

Stopping, Gar looks with curiosity "Hmm?"

"... Would you mind.. making sure these guys don't come back?" She offers, nervous.

Eyebrow raised, Gar suggests "I don't think they'll be chasing you, not after you put your foot into that one's ribs. Yeah, I can do that."

"Thank you."

"Name's Gar by the way. Garfield Logan." Gar offers, extending his hand.

"Kristine. By the way, how did you do all of that anyway?"

First time in the whole conversation, he allows himself a small grin to appear on his face. "Spend six months with a paranoid roommate and another six with a martial artist, you pick up somethings." Leading his hand forward, Gar suggests "After you."

A/N2: No, I'm not writing Gar's time in Hub as an arc. Because it doesn't need to be written! Still, I'm glad I got to finally write "Bulletface" Bryson. Had him in story ideas for THREE different stories now.. No, he's not a Two-Face knock off either. You'll see what I mean later in the story... And what does Thorne "really" want out of Jump City?

Trivia:  
- "Time to Take Her Home", lyrics from the chorus section of "Big Empty" by Stone Temple Pilots.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: The second part of the mini-arc (ha ha ha, incoherent rhyming). I'm really loving writing Desade, Bryson, and Mao. 

**Time To Take Her Home...**

_I wasn't exactly sure what I was aiming for when I helped Kristine that night. It's not like I stopped those thugs because I owed her anything. True, one of the most horrible things humans have ever developed was a rapist-mentality, but I never actually followed through on one of my rescues. She hid it well but I could tell she was downright terrified. Who wouldn't be? Three goons working for one of Jump City's largest cartels was threatening her life and her.. One of the few times I honestly didn't feel bad at all injuring another living being, that's for sure._

_We walked home together, her words mainly reflecting on how bad the city's become. Not that North Jump was anything beautiful before but six months made the city look even worse to me. This wasn't were she chose to work however. Jump City Hyatt, the last place I imagined a woman from the slums to be working as a desk clerk, seemed another universe away from the liquor stores and tattoo shops of North Jump. She did have the smile for it, as well as the outgoing personality. The later should've caught my surprise when she suddenly decided to stop at a local pub on the way back. "A couple of Jagers to ease the nerves" or something to that effect. I was still twenty but she insisted..._

_To my credit, I managed to maintain a clear head.. mostly.. for the rest of the trip back. It was getting late, I needed to sleep or maybe it was the German liquor telling me that? Her home, a little two-story building wedged amongst others brought back memories of the home Ms. Franklin had months ago.. I couldn't tell Kris, even when she asked, why I seemed so sad at the sight of the building. I asked if she thought she'd be alright for the night. Ms. Franklin wasn't so safe in a house like this. The smile on her face told me the liquor was more in control than the scared, would-be victim I found outside of the station. Kristine, this woman I barely knew for more than two hours, asked me for a number to contact me if she ran into more trouble. Luckily these earpieces come with a telecommunications relay that can scramble one number into the real number civilians would use for our earpieces. Some WayneTech conspiracy that Question had rambled about one night during a checkup on us in March... Either way I looked at it, I would probably be hearing from Kristine again in the future. But for now, I had more important business to attend to._

_It wasn't that I really changed much during my time in Hub City; it was how I learned how to approach my career in crimefighting. I had spent so long working with team mindset that I never really considered how difficult fighting alone would be. Situations that, with the Titans, would be so easy to handle would be nearly impossible by myself. When it's five-on-twenty, that leaves four men to yourself to handle while the others make sure the other sixteen don't stab you. When it's one-on-twenty however, you need to step back and find a better way to handle the situation. Ending up in a body bag wasn't an option, nor was failing to punish those responsible, so it took a new way of approach to my work if I wanted to survive._

_I watched Question as we worked, trying to understand him in those days. He never openly attacked someone who didn't cooperate, he'd intimidate them into compliance. Not in Jake Dewalt or Robin's style either of promising to bring their deeds to light. No, Question has a way of looking into your soul and exposing the truth that you try so hard to pretend isn't there. I know this is how he works in the way he dissected me in our first true encounters in Hub. Just from my answers, the way I stood, and the way I approached crime he could understand just how green I was... figuratively. That was in January though.._

_Back in my little sanctuary in North Jump, I began collecting the resources I'd need for a long campaign. Any kind of knife I could get my hand on, I swiped it up. If you looked under my makeshift table in the clinic, you'd see everything from a sharpened three-inch pie knife up to a fourteen-inch Bowie. Not that the knives were difficult to get, criminals are easy sources of weapons when you're the one doing the mugging. I also began to read, a lot. Question understood that I knew very little about unconventional warfare as well as basic psychology. Before I came back to North Jump, he gave me a few books ranging from Sun Tzu's "Art of War" to Che Guevara's "Guerrilla Warfare" and even a copy of the "Anarchist's Cookbook", the later being his idea of a "comedy". When I wasn't collecting materials or working, my nose was in a book of tactics, chemistry, and weaponry._

_Another important suggestion Question pounded into my head was the importance of surveillance. Rushing into the enemy's hideout without even the basic idea of what you're in store for was madness. It's amazing just how many times we as the Titans, or the Doom Patrol, would just rush in like stormtroopers and somehow survive. Beaten up, bloody, and broken though.. albeit still alive. No, that wouldn't work for a solo operation like mine. It would take some serious recon before I'd even consider taking down the Desades._

_So I followed the low-level guys first. Any animal will tell you, if you had the ability to, that life is a circle. Water, in our case White Rabbit, creates the grass. Now the grass, a.k.a. the junkies, is food for the herbivores: the dealers. They don't care for anything beyond making money off the junkies. They only worry about one thing: the lower-level carnivores, the grunt pack animals: the dealers' bosses and lieutenants, capos as the Mafia would've said it. And at long last, you'll find the last of the cycle keeping the Beta members at check: the Alpha(s), the Boss. Follow that trail, you'll find your target in no time. But there's always complications..._

At the clinic, Gar sits on a lawn chair inside his dusty, dirty abode. Piece of plank wood sitting on cinderblocks as his table, Gar eyes pictures on a small laptop computer. Obviously a gift from Question, Gar has a notepad to his side, jotting down notes as each picture goes by. Nothing to drink, only the light from the computer to illuminate his paper, green eyes jump from pictures on the screen to the ink on his notepad. A rarity for there to be a lack of music despite the ability to play some manner of songs...

Two beeps in his earpiece, a signal for a re-routed call. _"Beast Boy, this is Robin, are you there?"_

Tapping his own piece one, Gar answers back with only a look of annoyance at being interrupted "Yeah, I'm here. What's wrong?"

_"... We haven't seen or heard from you in almost six months."_ Robin points out seemingly surprised. _"Are you alright?"_

"Busy. I was out of town for a couple of months on some business but I'm back in the city again." Next picture, another dealer for the Desades.

_"I won't ask where. But Beast Boy.."_

"Gar." he reminds, scribbling some more notes on the yellow pad. "I don't use that name anymore."

_"Fair enough, Gar. How soon could you visit us at the tower?"_

"Depends. What's the occasion?"

_"Well... we just got Starfire back from the hospital and.."_

Setting his pen down, Gar looks up from the screen "The _hospital?_ What happened?"

_"Long story short, Cyborg lost control of the T-Car the other day and... Come over, we'll explain it better if you see."_

Closing the laptop, Gar wraps up the conversation "I'll be there in an hour."

**Five Days Prior**

Sitting around another table, this time in a plush, red and black condo with Jump City in sight out of the window, Mao, Desade, and Bryson sit waiting. Their entourages mingle in the kitchen area, black still the order of the day. Not that it bothers the three bosses at the round coffee table in the middle. A beer for Desade, whiskey for Bryson, and coffee for Mao, the three different styles are matched by the three different glances on their opposing faces. Desade's aging face sneers with some obscene delight, Bryson's agitation growing as his foot taps and eyes narrow, Mao's finger tapping on his knee as he lies back in the chair.

"Thorne's late." Bryson remarks, eyeing the time on the wall.

"No way?" Desade counters, grinning. "Is he? I couldn't tell."

Bryson's face shows no sign of a smile in the slightest "Wonder if something happened to our Gotham guest?"

Desade looks over to Mao with a look of mock suspicion "How about it, _squinty_? One of your do-gooder Tongs knock over fat-ass Thorne down at JC International?"

"For your information, Mr. Desade, we have not engaged in any activities to remove Mr. Thorne from this meeting." Mao replies back, sarcasm in his own voice. "Perhaps it was one of your.. hired "goons".. who displaced him?"

Feigning shock, Desade counters "I'm offended! Are you saying one of _my_ men would kill an important, and possibly dangerous, potential buyer from Gotham? I'm offended indeed! I mean, seriously, if anyone here's got the temper to just randomly start killing would-be associates.."

"Keep it up and I'll add another name to the list." Bryson warns.

Waving the beer at Bryson accusingly, Desade beckons "You probably even know where Hoffa's stashed, don't you?"

Whiskey glass pointed back, Bryson asks "We're on the West Coast, remember? You should be asking about Luthor."

Hand waving that point away, Desade offers "Metropolis is too close to the Lakes to be West Coast. How about you tell me if Tupac's _really_ dead?"

A beeping sound from one of Mao's men indicates a message is incoming, terminating the conversation between Desade and Bryson. Mao asks in his native language about the call then gestures to bring over the laptop on the table. Neverminding the looks of Desade and Bryson, Mao has the laptop opened enough for the three, only the three, to see clearly.

Fat, graying hair, and smug as ever, Rupert Thorne bellows into the screen "It's amazing what the Asians can do these days, isn't it? Now I can talk to you without having to set foot in your filthy city."

"What do you want, Thorne?" Bryson demands, no more joking for the time being.

"What do I want? A slice of the action, that's what. You didn't really think we haven't been noticing your steady little rise to empire out there on the coast, did you?"

Desade cuts off Bryson to ask "And who exactly did you hear that from?"

"An informant of mine down at the DEA's office. He tells me our dealers out here are growing more interested in your drug trade. Also the Irish have been hounding me about lending some of my boys for transportation of their goods out your way."

"How much are we talking about here?" Bryson asks, wary. That smug smile on Thorne's face isn't from pleasure at seeing their three faces.

"Oh, just forty percent of all your profits is all."

"FORTY? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" Desade roars at the screen, wishing he could kill Thorne for those words.

"You want two-fifths of our expenses and distribution? From way out in Gotham?" Bryson asks without the need to scream like Desade feels. "I think we can agree here there's something you're not telling about this deal."

"_Bulletface_ Bryson, is it? I'm not paying for forty percent of any business you think you're conducting. Twenty is the interest you've racked up in _NOT_ including Gotham in this alliance you three have cooked up. The other _twenty_ is for the costs we'll endure for transporting and distributing your product on our streets."

"Excuse me, Mr. Thorne." Mao speaks up, calculating and reserved. "Would it not be fair to say that in doing so you could put yourself further at risk by transporting the goods yourself? Bringing the drugs from the West Coast and sending guns back from Gotham would pose a potentially dangerous risk to both parties."

"And they say the Asians can't be intelligent." Thorne remarks, a jab at Desade and Bryson. "We would incur significant heat if the word broke out about this. I expect this conversation and the business afterward to be kept a secret from everyone. We can't afford the Justice League to get wind of this."

"Jump City and the surrounding region are Titans territory." Desade informs plainly. "You only need to worry about the League in your end of the field."

Thorne chuckles a bit at the statement, a foreboding laugh if you'd ever heard one. "Those _kids_ out there won't be a problem. I hear they've been banned from working against you as long as they're in the city?"

"Yes. They've been leaving all of our operations alone since they were hired by the city to clean up the mask problem." Bryson answers. "Unless the Justice League discovers this, our only threat will be government agencies."

"There's one problem though." Desade cuts in. "Not all of us are _willing_ to pay forty. Especially when certain people backing us forbid even doing business with old rejects from a forgotten era that's passed them by."

Smug smile gone, Thorne's face begins to seethe with anger. "What's that you freak?"

Smile of his own growing, darker by the second, Desade reiterates "We have a vested interest to keep this _our_ interest. You think you can just waltz in here and _demand_ almost half of the pie without offering us something even CLOSE to worthy of our time?"

"Forty for transportation and supply, even without the bullshit _gift money_ is ludicrous." Bryson adds. "I think this counts as strong arming on your part."

An angry, cursing Thorne on the other hand fills the speakers while the three West Coast men stare onward.

"You think you're in a position to tell _me_ what to do? You're all walking on borrowed time for this!"

"Excuse me, Mr. Thorne, but a bargain in which only one man profits is not a bargain. If you cannot offer us a suitable.."

"SHUT IT YOU PIECE OF.."

"Thorne, if you want to extort someone, go look somewhere else. Jump City can handle it's own." Desade warns, reaching to close the laptop.

"You really think I'm _extorting_ you? Before I offered you a generous attempt at a working relationship.. but since you're all so willing to die..."

"What do you plan to do? Send out some of your goons to kill us?" Bryson dares.

A sinister chuckle of rage, Thorne promises "Not just you but your entire city. He's already out there in the event of just this situation."

Mao stands up, asking Desade to move. "Then we have an understanding. We will see you when you offer us twenty percent for our mercy." With a reach into his inner coat pocket, he aims his pistol at the screen and fires a shot into the screen. Snapping his fingers, his underlings retrieve the damaged piece of technology for disposal.

"Jesus, Mao!" Desade howls with his hands to his ear. "Let a guy know when you're gonna shoot inside! Fuck, I can hardly hear!"

**Five Days Later**

Back at the Tower, Gar enters the living room to an ominous sight. It appears, with the exception of Robin, everyone at the living room area looks up at him with very tired, weary expressions. Starfire tries to offer a smile but her eyes, normally bright and wide, seem so lifeless and lost.

"What's wrong, guys? You all look like you haven't slept in a week?"

Looking into his eyes, Starfire offers with terror in her voice "None of us have been able to do the sleeping in nearly a week."

This really is serious. Did Cyborg fall asleep behind the wheel? "What do you mean you haven't been able to sleep? How hard can it be?"

"If we go to sleep.." Star mumbles aloud "Then _he_'ll get us."

"Who?"

Raven looks up, about to speak...

A/N2: CLIFFHANGER! By the way, I kept the Thorne skit short mainly because I don't imagine the Gotham crimeboss would come out to Jump oersonally. But, from the look of it, he already knew the deal was gonna go south.. so I wonder who's starting the trouble? While you make think you know who, _how_ is a different matter.


	11. Nothing To Fear

A/N: I started writing the other story but since the chappies for that aren't going to be like these (in terms of length), I'll be able to split the workload. This arc will be tricky for me to write, no doubt about that. It's all about getting it just right or else it'll all fall apart like a deck of cards. You already can guess the "who" is but his motives and how he's presented will be different. And despite how weak he is at first, someone in this chapter makes a _shining_ debut.

**Nothing to Fear...**

"Are you sure it wasn't just a nightmare?" Gar asks, now sitting on one of the couches of in the main living room. "I mean we've all had pretty scary dreams before."

"Maybe, but it's not just me. We've all seen him in our dreams." replies Raven, trying to keep awake with a hotter-than-normal cup of tea. Doesn't take heightened senses to notice her fatigue, her cups don't normally waiver like that in her frail hand.

Starfire, eyes droopy and lacking their normal sparkle, adds to the reply "A most terrible vision that I would not wish even on those that would try to hurt us."

"Whatever it is got to all of us. I can't even recharge at night without coming out of Sleep in a sweat." Cy remarks, his human-side face looking weighed down by a lack of sleep. "The best I've been able to do is recharge while awake but sooner or later my human side's gonna give out."

"All of us are." Robin suggests, drinking some extra black coffee. "It's really been affecting our performance of late."

"Haven't you found out what's causing it? Maybe some kind of new enemy's messing with your heads?" It's a long shot but always a possibility.

Raven shakes off the suggestion "If it were a psychic attack, I'd know it."

"Yeah and all our blood's clean, no substances that could trigger these sort of things." Cyborg adds.

"I've started to look into what could be causing this but it's been slow." Robin offers, trying to instill some hope. "If there's a way to fix this, we'll find it. I even called the League to see if.."

Eyebrow raised, Gar asks rather surprised "_You_ contacted the Justice League? I thought you weren't on the best terms with, you know?"

"If it's affecting the well-being on my team, I'm willing to put that aside for a time. In the meantime, we're still reeling from the attack. The T-Car's going to be out for a few days."

Cyborg's dejected face at Robin's reminder only furthers the depression in the room. "Sorry man, I thought I saw _him_ in the street. I couldn't control it."

"Fell asleep at the wheel? Wow, this _is_ intense." Gar points out but shifts his attention to an obvious vacancy. "Hey, wait a minute. Where's Jinx?"

"I knocked on her door. She said she would be down in a minute." Starfire replies, curious herself.

It's Robin first then Raven who's eyes grow wide in fear. "Oh no.."

_"Drown the witch! DROWN HER!" in dozen variations being screamed amidst a terrible downpour. Nearly twenty people of varying age and gender shout, pitchforks in hand at the sight of a woman standing on the edge of a cliff facing the sea. Rain soaking the crowd, lightning in the sky far above adding to the terror of this sight, they inch their way closer towards pushing her down the side._

_"I'm not going to hurt you. Please, let me go!" Pink eyes wide, full of fear, partly hidden by pink hair soaked with rain. Matching the crowd, her black dress seems eerily familiar to New England in the 1600's than in the first decade of the 21st century. Barely a footstep backward from falling, she pleads with them to let her go. "I've changed, I'm not going to hurt anyone anymore! Please, DON'T KILL ME!"_

_"If you're so powerful, why don't you just FLY away?" one of the gathered citizens taunt, sneering face glowering dark. _

_"Or have the devil save you, whore of Satan!" An elderly woman barks aloud, bringing another round of shouting from the crowd._

_"Enough of this talk, DROWN HER!"_

_And the rush begins, waving pitchforks and cutting off any chance of escape, no normal "human" escape that is._

_Closed eyes, turning her gaze away, she fires a wave of hex energy around herself to stun them back. Enough time to flip over the frontline of stunned townsfolk and run for the nearest haven: The town's church. As she approaches, the sound of cackling birds echoes into the sky, illuminated by the lighting. Circling the building, it seems the chapel is almost welcoming her._

_Inside, she uses her power to melt the melt the latches shut, keeping the angry mob outside from forcing their way in for the moment. With that threat temporarily stopped, another is brewing as the building begins to echo with music. Music fitting for the location but not the situation._

_"Going to the chapel and we're... gonna get married..." Far too pop-ish, far too upbeat, far too out of sync with the Puritan theme._

_Jinx looks to the back of the church but notices everything from the third row in front to the front is obscured in total darkness. As if the building was carved in half and the space was looking into an infinite abyss made of inky, fogy blackness._

_"What the hell's going on? What kind of sick nightmare IS THIS?"_

_As the music continues, a raspy, whisper voice beckons through the darkness enough for her to hear. "This is your darkest nightmare, isn't it? The very thing you fear most in this world."_

_"There's nothing to be afraid of if it's only a dream. It's 2007, not 1605." Jinx shouts back at the dark, ignoring the pounding on the door. The music mercifully subsides but gives way to an ominous silence._

_Peering from the center of the darkness, two white, round eyes stare back. No pupils, no irises.. just, white. But from the way they flicker every so often, much like a human eyeblink, they might as well by the eyes of hell. "Very true. But what will you do when those doors open? Do you think you'll wake up in time?"_

_"I can wake up whenever I want. Point is who the hell are you supposed to be? Some part of my mind playing tricks on me?"_

_Eyes turning slightly to the side, almost in curiosity, the voice asks "Some part of you perhaps. It would appear your deepest fear isn't just afraid of being burned as a witch."_

_Hand raised, Jinx has had enough. "Whatever. Now fuck off so I can get some sleep." Firing a beam of her pink energy, her irritation turns to confusion as the blackness merely absorbs the hexbolt. "It went right through you.."_

_"Or maybe you didn't shoot it at me?"_

_With a loud thud, the body of Gizmo is thrown onto the hard, faded wood of the aisle floor. Goggles shattered and lifeless eyes staring at her, the body twitches as it's mouth begins to form words._

_"Gizmo? What the.. what the fuck?"_

_"Jinx..." the dead form of her former associate drawls out, ghastly in it's tone. "Why... why did you leave us?... why did you... kill me?"_

_"I.. I didn't kill you.. It's just a dream.. it's just a dream." And just like outside, the fear begins to seep back into her being. It might be a nightmare but it's a very damn vivid one._

_From the void, the voice whispers once again "He wasn't the only victim you've killed, Jinx." As her terror creeps into her face, mouth opening in shock, Kid Flash's body is held out from the darkness enough for her to see. His own face matches Gizmo's, lifeless and drained. Like a zombie, he turns his head like a rock towards her._

_"Jinx... wasn't I good enough for you.. I loved you... "_

_"Stop this..."_

_"... Come to us..." KF offers, limp arms raised like a puppet. "We... can be together.."_

_"I SAID STOP IT!"_

_Gizmo's corpse looks up as well, tears coming out of cow-like eyes "Please... don't let us die..."_

_Teeth gritting, eyes closed shut.. she gathers her composure to no avail as the energies begin to take her. "I SAID.. ENOUGH!" Shouting, she bursts a huge shell of energy outward, blowing chunks of the walls and roof into the rain-filled air. Gizmo and Kid Flash are blown back as well, into the darkness from which they came. Unable to breath right, unable to stand without assistance from a pew, she gazes at the darkness with a look of absolute fatigue. "You're sick.. you're really, fucking, sick!"_

_"People often hate the things they fear."_

_Spitting at the eyes, she retorts with malice in her tone "I'm not afraid of you."_

_..._

_Out of the darkness, a figure with Puritan preacher clothes emerges waist deep in darkness. White eyes behind a mask of rotting flesh, rope dangling from it's neck. What the black hat and coat don't cover reveals a head of black hair and left white arm. It's his right arm that brings her fear up a couple dozen notches however. Four needles jut from his fingers, each tapping the wooden pews and creaking like shrill bats. Waving it in the air slightly, the visage of Jonathan Crane warns._

_"You shouldn't. After all, there's nothing to fear but fear HIMSELF"_

As Jinx bolts upright in her bed, screaming, sweat pouring down her face, she's startled by Gar putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Jinx, it's me.. Gar? Relax, you had a nightmare."

"He..he.. "

Taking her by the shoulders in his hand, Gar reasons "Jinx, let it go, take a breath and let it go. Your'e awake, everything's alright."

Shock slowly giving way to sanity, she finally eyeballs him for the first time ".. Gar? When did..?"

"A little while ago. Now just call down, ok? Jesus, I can feel your pulse even through your shoulder!"

Taking several breaths, she lets Gar let her go to stare at the front of the room for a second. "The others?"

"Outside. They didn't want to startle you by having everyone in here at once."

"Yeah.. that wouldn't help much... God damn, that one was even worse than the last two nights."

Still crouching to keep an eye level, Gar suggests "Whatever's in your heads must be something fucked up, am I right? You look like you've been fighting ghosts or something."

Ghosts... ghoulish, hellish... Kid Flash, Gizmo... Needless to say Gar isn't exactly sure what to say when Jinx turns to him and buries her face into his shoulder.

"Jinx..?"

"I _did_ see ghosts. That _thing_ made me see Gizmo and Flash.. he said I killed them, they were talking to me like zombies."

Startled at first, Gar puts his arm around the woman to console as best he can. "I'm sorry you had to see that. Whatever happens, whoever's doing this, we'll get him. Hell, if you want first dibs, I'll even turn my back."

Despite the shaking from the shock, she actually lets a small laugh out. "I'll shove that glove of his up his ass, the son of a bitch."

Smile on his own face, Gar admits "Spoken like the Jinx I know."

_After everything calmed down, I got what little information I could about whatever was disrupting their sleep. Robin had a hunch it could be some new supervillan they weren't aware of. Raven said it wasn't necessary a psychic attack but, then again, there's more than one way to get to your enemy. Things were becoming too complicated as I looked at the picture. The city was still the same, drugs were still a problem, and masks were back on the rise. _

_I wish my time with the Titans could've been longer that night but I wasn't much good them without answers. First thing I needed was a good vantage point so I decided to perch on top of the Golden Gate, get my bearings. It's a little bit farther away from Downtown but, as Question hammered into my head, "Sometimes you need to stand far back to appreciate the big picture." Someone was attacking the Titans in their sleep, a damn good idea if I'd say so. Get them to the brink of physical collapse and you have them in the palm of your hand. Someone who knows how to manipulate their fears, their darkest secrets.. Raven would've told us if Trigon was back so it couldn'tve been her father._

_Was up on that bridge for a good twenty minutes before deciding to fly home to North Jump. Maybe one of the medical books Q gave me would have some information on sleep and dreams. It wasn't the best start but it was a start none-the-less. It's a shame how beautiful Jump looks from above while you know it's rotten and bitter on the inside. Just like an apple left out on the field too long. Sweet and pristine on the outside, moldy on the inside..._

_I wasn't even halfway home when I got a call from Robin. Fear crept up my own spine thinking something happened to one of them after I left. Fortunate for me it wasn't that serious._

_"Gar, sorry if I'm interrupting your flight home but we need your help with something again. We've got word that Dr. Light might be trying to rob Jump City Regional tonight. We're on our way but.."_

_I found myself on a rooftop so I could talk as a human "You don't want to take any chances, right?"_

_"Right. How soon can you be there?"_

_I looked below my feet to see I was actually back in Downtown, not far from the bank in question. JCRB tends to be hit up a lot, especially from the masks. "I'll be waiting, out."_

Odd time for a 9pm robbery but Light is busy tearing up the bank on the inside. Firing his light beams about, he seems more intent on making a general mess of the bank than actually robbing it.

"It's all so _dark_ in here.. How about I lighten things up?" the lanky mad genius suggests to himself, tearing through the bank manager's office and a teller booth.

"Light." Gar calls out in the shadows to the back. No snappy comeback, that's Robin's job.

Stopping his mini-rampage, Dr. Light turns his attention to the voice. Aside from the callous grin, Light's eyes seem to be a bit wild, more so than usual. "And who might you be? Some pesky do-gooder trying to cast a shadow on my little plot?"

Eyebrow rises at first but the ring on his finger reminds Gar that Light isn't aware he's actually.. "Maybe. Curious why you're wrecking the place instead of robbing it. That's not like you."

Stepping towards Gar, Light casually extends one of his light whips and smashes through a table. "I've gotten tired of the same old, boring career. Robbing a bank, stealing jewels.. getting my ass handed to me by those damn Titans. It's enough to make a man burn out, you know?"

Gar maintains his place, hands in his coat with eyes trained on the approaching villain. "So you've become..?"

"If you can't beat them with your _brilliance_ then you might as well beat them with a beam." With that, Light raises his two palm guns and fires at Gar.

Ducking into the darkness, Gar changes into a fly while Light investigates the area.

"You know, I'm surprised you evaded my light beam so easily. Almost like you can turn invisible or something." Light genuinely considers aloud. "You could be more of a challenge than I expected."

"I'll take that bet." Gar announces, sight unseen. Light's fast turn around, scanning the room to find Gar is almost enough to make the former green Titan laugh. "Super-speed? Invisibility? A _ghost_?" Gar continues, keeping his humor to a minimum. "You're the _bright_ one, figure it out before the Titans show up."

In the midst of the bank's hall, Light summons a great deal of energy into his palms. Smacking them together, an illumination fills the hall enough for Light to get a good look for his prey.

"Curious why you haven't triggered the police alarms though." Gar continues after the illumination fades. "Some kind of high-tech security hacking? Sounds complicated."

Light, now becoming a bit panicked, starts to spin circles around himself while nervously scanning the area for _someone_. "You're really starting to get under my skin, _boy_. Come out so I can teach you some manners."

In Light's ear, Gar whispers "As you wish."

Throwing his fist behind him, Light narrowly avoids Gar. Gar, however, doesn't miss his mark as he ducks under the punch in order to knee Light in the gut. Spit ejecting from the scientist's mouth, Gar moves for a forearm to the face. Surprisingly, Light counters by grabbing Gar's arm and using his light powers to throw back the vigilante across two tables. A barrage of light beams ensues as the evil genius attempts to exact his revenge. "Come on out, I've got something _bright_ and _shiny_ for you!"

Behind the table, it's time to bring out some artillery. The Titans will arrive any minute so if he's gonna get information from Light, now's the time. Pumping a round into his shotgun, now smaller from the barrel being sawn-off too the end of the pump, Gar rolls to the right with aim towards Light. The target enters his view as the left light pad aims as Gar fires. One less energy weapon down, one more to go.

Gun still in hand, he leaps over one more light shot fired in desperation before grabbing a four-inch baby knife from his coat pocket. Stopping an inch from Light's face, Gar warns simply "Enough."

"You little punk.. how dare you..."

Knife next to Light's eye, Gar shushes him "Now now, the Titans and JCPD will be through that door any second. I just want information and I'll let you get out of this clean free."

"You'll... what?"

"You're here to distract the Titans for a reason, right? Why?" Gar demands, his knife only a finger length but close enough to do serious eye damage.

"None of your business, boy!" Light counters, preparing his right palm to fire.

"Aim that near me and I'll make sure you never see out of this eye again, got me doc?" Gar warns, not to be deterred from this situation. "Why the change in M.O.? Tell me and you can go home."

Face twitching, Light actually begins to smile despite the threat to his vision. "Because I didn't have a choice... It was either help him or go back to the drugs.. "

"Drugs?"

"White Rabbit.. it's why I've been so on edge the last few months.. He helps me kick the stuff in exchange for a few favors, that's all." The nervous bend in Light's voice almost seems like a junkie under police pressure. Could the former mad scientist _actually_ be a former drug abuser?

"Drugs, huh? Sorry but I don't buy it. Give me a name or I'll find out how well you can see with half an eye."

The sound of police sirens and horns out front cut into the interrogation, enough so that Gar grunts in annoyance as the JCPD announce their arrival.

"I'm serious. I help him with his plans, he'll make sure I never need White Rabbit again. Please, don't fucking cut my eye out! Let me the hell go! Arrest me or something but don't fucking cut my eyes out!"

Another snarl as Light begins to cave, Gar lets the knife go but instead flips Light onto his back on the marble. Knife across his eyes, Gar warns with heavy irritation "Our little chat isn't over, Light. Next time we meet, you better give me that name or I'll make sure you never see another lightbulb again. Behave yourself, I'll be watching." Finally Gar steps on Light's left hand for emphasis, bringing a shout of pain from the older villain. Seeing the cops close in on the door, Gar turns and runs for the safety of the darkness in the rear. Another source in the growing list of strong-armed informants for Garfield Mark Logan.

A/N2: First chap of Nothing to Fear is done. This chapter went through, I believe, four different re-writes before I took that mini-break? Never Fear is a tricky arc on the basis that it's the gateway arc. It's essentially the last true minor arc before all hell breaks loose. Although this time this arc's villain isn't as straight-forward as before. He's channeling Freddy Krueger here, indeed, but he's not as likable as the first two drafts seemed to make him.

Trivia: "Nothing to Fear" arc title an homage to Freddy (who spoofed it from FDR's "Nothing to Fear" speech).  
- Jump City Regional Bank.. if you hear it in a story, it's a good chance it's being robbed.  
- The song in Jinx's nightmare was "Chapel of Love" by the Dixie Cups. Re-read it again with the song playing, it really makes it more tense.  
- This appearance of S'crow is a hybrid of the New Batman Adventures version with the Krueger-like claw from Arkham Asylum.

Rhetorical: Little subtle hints all over the place. Let the shipping begin.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Wasn't in the mood to write Monday night, Flyers lost a really close game. 2 games down, let's hope they rally. Anyway, this chapter kinda took an unexpected turn near the end. It was something I was gonna write eventually but it felt more appropriate to do it now. 1...2...

**Nothing to Fear...**

_It wasn't until the next morning when I woke up that I found out what happened after Light's attack on the JCRB. According to the news, Dr. Arthur Light managed to escape police custody on route back to the station due to outside help. The two drivers and an armed guard were killed in what was described as a "gangland-like" attack on the transport. Someone, or some group, didn't want Light going back to the police and might've kept the Titans from knowing who could be after them. Even I had to admit it was a gutsy plan but it paid off in the end, didn't it?_

_Mainly that morning consisted on medical research, probing any clues why all of the Titans would suddenly start having similar nightmares. When I first heard about it, I almost wanted to blame it on Freddy from the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. Claws on his one hand, lifeless eyes, chronic nightmares.. But that was a movie, this is real life. It certainly scared Jinx enough to bring her to tears, that's for sure. There's only a handful of known supervillains on record that could influence dreams on people so I'd also need to look for the source. Then again, Raven did mention she didn't notice a psychic influence and Cyborg suggested no drugs were involved. It didn't make any sense..._

_And if it wasn't some mask the Justice League or the Titans misplaced, it had the possibility of being the Desades. It would be their first official attack on the Titans, something I'd highly doubt they'd do, but always an idea. Perhaps they found out who I was behind the holoring and decided to go after my former teammates? No way to tell just then so I needed to keep a clear eye._

Two doors open, two men shove Light into a dark room, and two doors close once more.

"Don't need to shove me you mindless apes." Light grumbles to himself as he approaches the end of a table, illuminated by an overhead light. The other end of the table, however, is not lit up at all. Raising his hand to generate some light to see by, a harrowing voice warns hushed.

"You don't need to see me just yet. I'm in the middle of a something as we speak."

"A nap?"

Soft chuckle though none-too-amusing in tone "Cute. Actually I was working on a cure for your little drug problem. You know which one I'm talking about.."

Beady eyes narrowing, Light asks "I thought you said you already _had _one?"

"Hmm, I might have. Either way it doesn't remove the fact that you were caught last night does it?"

Looking away from the source of the ominous tone, the aging physicist scoffs aloud "Caught doesn't fit the word, more like assaulted."

"They said the Titans and JCPD found you shaking on the floor of the bank. You didn't happen to _relapse_ when you carrying out my chore, did you?"

Growl forming in his throat, Light shouts at the darkness "I _didn't_ in fact. I don't need that horrible drug anymore and you _know_ it! As a matter of fact, I was assaulted by some man with a shotgun and a knife!"

"A gun and a knife? _Really?_ Come now, Arthur.. Do you really expect me to believe you were mugged by some gun-wielding vigilante? With all your energy manipulation abilities, taking down one off-duty security guard should've been easy."

Fist balling, this conversation is becoming more and more of an insult to Light's honor. "He wasn't just your average _nightshift_ _guard_! I'd shoot a beam at him, he'd disappear into the dark like that goddamn demon bitch on the Titans! He'd vanish, sneak up on me, and attack me without me ever seeing it!"

"So you were attacked by a living ghost, hmm? Sounds to me like White Rabbit's still embedded into your brain, doctor."

"Believe whatever you'd like but I can tell you that knife he stuck by my eyes was plenty real! Not to mention his shotgun damaged one of my palm cannons as well!"

Not so amused anymore, the voice beckons "Do you have an idea as to who this mystery man might be?"

"I don't know for sure... but his eyes, they seemed so.. _familiar_. I can't say who but I know I've seen that look before. The last thing he told me was he'd be _watching_.. I think he's mentally unbalanced in my professional opinion."

"Leave the mental details to me, Dr. Light, I'm more qualified in that field than you can ever realize. In the meantime we don't need to worry about your little mugger, he's of no importance. We can't have the city's more unsavory characters discover us just yet. Have you delivered my little welcoming gift as I asked?"

"Yeah, I did that before I went to the bank. Who was it for anyway?"

"Nothing brings out fear in a father more than watching his daughter collapse under the weight of her own terror. We have a job to complete in Jump City but who says I can't have any _fun_ while I'm here?"

Hours later, Starfire sits on the bed with her knees to her chin, eyes dropping but fighting to keep away. The clock to her side reads 2:42 in the morning but the urge to keep awake it paramount.

"It is ok, everything will be fine. Just need to stay awake a little longer.. Robin will find a way to fix us."

2:43am on her clock, can't sleep or something terrible might happen again in her dreams. Why does this have to happen? Who would be so cowardly to not face them face to face?

_... 2:42.._

_"Was it not just 43 past?"_

_.._

_For a room filled with pink, it's suddenly becoming very gray, ashen. As her breath escapes her body, startled, the walls of the room give way to an ever-expanding graveyard. The ground is covered in the gray ash, the old and withered gravestones chipping with age while black, twisting trees tower overhead._

_"What is this? No, not another dream!" The bed beneath her fades away to black, dropping her onto the ash-filled walkway separating the two sides of the graveyard. Chilling, bone-freezing wind blows through the cemetery, the alien princess shivers at the sudden gust of air. "Where are you? I know you are out there!"_

_It's Raven's voice that calls out first "Star... help us..."_

_"Raven? No, it cannot be. You are pretending to be her but I know you're not.."_

_"Star.. please.." Cyborg shouts next from the distance._

_"He won't let us.. go..." Jinx afterward._

_Shaking her head, Star demands "Please, stop it. They are not in peril, you pretend to be them but you are not. Show yourself!"_

_..._

_The sound is faint at first but the metallic footsteps only increase with each step towards her. Only something metal or something mechanical could make that sound.._

_From the darkness without end, a creature of grotesque features emerges. The legs of Cyborg, the torso of Jinx.. Raven's arms.. and finally Robin's face. A cruel, twisted ogre of shape as the horribly-patched creature tries in vain to right itself. Both hands cover Star's mouth at the sight of this beast thus presented. _

_"Star.. he did this.. to us.. It hurts.. Oh God it hurts so bad.." Robin's voice speaks through pain-clenched teeth._

_Walking towards her, the thing reaches forward with it's ashen arms, calling out to her. Raven's voice begins "Join with us.." Jinx follows "You can stop this pain.."_

_"Make us complete again.." Cyborg's voice harkens, body twitching as it grows nearer._

_For the first time in a long time, tears begin to fall down Starfire's eyes. "What.. has he done to you my friends.." As the thing nears, she begs them "Try to resist, do not let him win."_

_Stepping faster now, the form of her four friends begins to stagger with the increasing speed As it nears, the visage of Robin's face begins to rot away, blood pouring down his chin with a gurgling sound, moaning for release. "Be... one with us..."_

_Barely five feet away, the combined voices of 4 of her dearest friends beckon her to abandon her singular form and merge with them all. Crying, she lifts her hands upward in warning "Do not make me do this. You are not well, do not force me to do this."_

_"Don't you... love us..?" the face of Robin asks, face bleeding away to the skull beneath._

_With a cry of despair, she fires the beam through the chest of the abomination. All four Titans are shattered in a burst of solar energy, their parts fading into the air like the ash-strewn walkway._

_On her knees, Starfire is racked with sobs at the image of her friends slaughtered by her own hands._

_"My my, little girl, did that hurt? You really didn't need to kill everyone you've ever loved, did you?"_

_Starfire's eyes, burning with growing anger, look up to see a shadowy form emerge from the center of the walkway. Black cloak obscuring his entire body minus a hand of glowing needles and equally glowing, golden eyes. "Monster.. How could you.."_

_Needles extending to the ground below, the shadow approaches, sickening sound of scraping metal as the points drag along the path. "They chose to live that way. Such a tight-knit group, they'll never be happy separated. I'd say I did them a favor, they'll never be alone ever again."_

_Hands forward, she unleashes a brutal attack of green energy, firing shot after shot at the spectre. Then again, each shot's only an exercise in rage as the starbolts pass through the figure now laughing happily at her failure._

_"If you're quite finished with your puny little energy shots, I believe it's time I showed you what I'M capable of." Bringing the needles skyward, the ash-strewn yard blows up into the air with the force of a hurricane._

_"This won't hurt one.. little.. bit!"_

Across the bay into downtown Jump City, another woman is facing a somewhat similar crisis of fear. Rose Desade, eyes wide and panicked, walks through her family's penthouse with sweat pouring down her face. Black hair in a mess, the walls appearing to be on fire. Either it's a hallucination from drugs or something far terrible.

"Dad..." she calls out, no one there to hear her though. The fire's too intense, too hot to go near. Hands of flame reach out for her from time to time, calling her name with demonic screams.

"ROSE!" one of them shouts, another following suit. "YOU CANNOT HIDE."

"Get away, stay away from me!"

"YOU DON'T _LIKE_ FIRE? WHY NOT? ISN'T IT SO ALIVE? SO FULL OF PASSION?"

Running from the hallway and into the kitchen, she stops for a moment to gaze at the vast city laid out before the penthouse window...

555 California, the mightiest tower in the city, looks like a giant spear of orange flame, the buildings around it mere embers next to the massive torch. Dragons breath heat and flame all over the city, scorching the famous West Coast city with their hate. Alas from the Bay arises a great tornado of wind and flame, swirling and spiraling as it moves towards her.

"_She_ was afraid of the flame, wasn't she?" The devilish voice of the fire beckons. "Are you just as afraid as her?"

"I'm not afraid of anything.. nothing.. did you hear me you goddamn freak, I'm not afraid of.."

...

"1...2.. Scarecrow's coming for you.."

Gaze torn away from the city of hell, Rose's own eyes grow wider at the sound of the famous song from the Nightmare movies. From the front door, walking through the inferno without fear, the tall hat and ragged clothes of Gotham's fear expert appear. The needles on his hand snap up and down, taunting. For Rose Desade, daughter of one of the most feared men in Jump City, this is truly a scene of terror.

_Two days after Robin warned me about their nightmares. Two nights of wondering just how to stop this monster before he started killing them from night terrors. Even if he wasn't a dream demon, the adrenaline could've killed them in their sleep. Worse was the effect of not sleeping for longer than a day.. And even if the city was still relatively calm since 2006, there was always a chance someone small-time could capitalize on their weakened state._

_Dr. Light's attack on the JCRB worried me the most however. Working for someone else to kick the habit the Desades had introduced. He was blatantly goading the Titans to come and he was proud about it. That implies he was either a true idiot or a genius in league with the wrong people. One of the many topics discussed in the books Q gave me was the emphasis of wearing your opponent out before engaging them. The Titans, at their core, only react to crime, rarely prevent it. If someone like Light and whomever he was working for keep the Titans awake, unbalanced, and constantly running back and forth, sooner or later they'd be ripe for the kill._

_To make things worse was the request by Question to visit Jump City Memorial. A woman, he told me, was just moved there for severe night terrors. For her safety, I couldn't refer to her whole name at the hospital. The first name was all I had to go on. The bastard.._

Sterile.. White walls, white floor, smell of cleanliness everywhere. It's enough to make any man cringe, especially when said man has ten times the smell of any human. If air fresheners come from the happy section of Raven's mind then the smell of antiseptic must reside deep in the bowels of hell. If only he had sunglasses, the bright lights above reflecting off white walls wouldn't be so hard on eyes.

The room reached, 713, is flanked by two men in suits and sour expressions.

"Excuse me, I'm here to visit Ms. Rose?" Gar asks, polite but firm.

"You got a reason to be here, small-time?" One of the guards demands, bass voice like thunder. The insult is worth it, this man stands a good seven inches over Gar's already tall 6'2.

"Personal business." Gar replies, this man's attitude isn't very helpful.

"Well you ain't comin' in unless I say so. And guess what? You ain't comin' in here." Looking down from on high, the guard warns "So fuck off."

No flinching, not after having many a staredown with a man without a face back in the Hub. "Ask her if she saw a man with needles for a hand, bet she'll agree I'm worth talking to."

"I don't really give a shit what you.."

"And make it snappy, I don't have all day." Gar cuts off the big man. Dumb muscle needs to move if she's gonna get done.

A pause at first before he answers "Tell you one thing, if I go in there and find out you're full of shit, I'm gonna put you into one of these rooms myself. Got it short fry?"

"High hopes." Gar retorts but steps back to gesture for the man to enter.

..

As the man walks into the room, Gar turns to the other guard and asks "So, how bout dem' Giants, huh?"

"Fuck off."

...

Back outside, the guard informs him with a glare for the ages. "You got five minutes. Make it fast."

Into the room, Gar closes the door behind him as Rose Desade looks up. Face turning to confusion which gives way to irritation, she demands "And you are?"

"My name's Garfield, I was told you came to JCM for night terrors, am I correct?" Might as well keep it business like, her glare looks like it could kill Cinderblock.

"Night terrors? That's a fucking nice way of putting it." Rose answers sharply, not taking her eyes off him for a moment. "Did dad send you down here or something? You don't look like a doctor."

"No, he hasn't. I've been working on a case involving several Jump City residents and an increase of similar night terrors." Pointing at a seat, Gar asks "May I?"

"Sure, why not?" sarcasm in her voice, this isn't the help she was expecting.

"These.. night terrors.. have you had them for very long?" Gar asks, sooner this is over the better.

Even now her glare doesn't let up "They just started last night, didn't you hear?"

Ignoring that last statement, Gar continues "Does anyone else know about these dreams of your's?"

"My dad knows but he thinks I just overreacted to a bad dream. Says I wouldn't stop thrashing and screaming all night. Why? Do your _other patients_ have the same problem? Am I some sort of victim of a serial _dream killer_?"

"If you dreamt about a man with a glove of needles then you might be the latest."

Maybe Rose didn't believe him before but judging from the way her glare has bent to confusion, almost shock, it's reasonable to say Gar's hit a chord. ".. it can't be. How would you know about _him_?"

Finally, getting somewhere. "My _other patients_ have also been seeing him in their dreams. He manifests differently for each dream but it's still the same vision of a nightmare with a gloved hand of needles."

"You're fucking serious, aren't you?" Rose asks, surprised. "How many other people?"

"A small number right now but if he's getting to other people outside of their group, I'd say this could be getting worse. Did he happen to mention a name in these dreams?"

Turning her eyes from him, closed at the thought of that horrible, burned creature.. Whispering the words, she answers "Scarecrow. He called himself Scarecrow."

Gar's own eyes narrow, confirming a suspicion Robin had earlier. Even if he has a name, the story's so similar to TJ White: A name but the means and motive are still elusive.

"He came to me in a vision of fire. Everything was on fire.. and the flames could talk or maybe it was him, I don't fucking know.." Rose stammers, the memory flooding back into her mind. Not a pleasant thing to be reminded of, that's for sure.

Unexpectedly, the door to the room opens to find none other than Antoine Desade standing in confusion. Gar looks up, unaware of this man's identity, only to stand up himself.

"Who the hell are you?" Desade demands, Rose's fearful expression and Gar's presence enough to make a man's blood boil.

"Someone who's trying to help your daughter, sir." Better diffuse this before some angry men break his face in. "She's been key to helping me find the possible source for her night terrors."

"Oh, really?" Desade offers, calming down a bit at Gar's offer to help his daughter. "Well I don't know what's causing these nightmares but I'm sure it's nothing too serious to worry about, is it?"

Resolved to fix this problem, Gar assures the leader of the Desades, his unknown sworn enemy "I'll make sure we stop what's causing this, I promise."

A/N2: That's a lot to absorb in one chapter, huh? We get to see Light, S'crow, Starfire, Gar, Rose, AND Desade all in one pop! It seems Thorne might've unleashed something more potent than he expected. Still, is it a drug or is it something far more sinister? And could it be true that Scarecrow has bigger plans than just messing with a few young adults? I know you weren't expecting Gar and Desade to meet so unexpectedly nor so civil, admit it!

Trivia:  
- The 4 Titans merging into one creature was a co-idea with John "Baptist" Reilly, one of the biggest inspirations for writing this series.  
- Yes, Scarecrow has now mimicked the Freddy song.

Special: I knew Scarecrow had to do this kind of stuff from the moment I saw the Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) trailer. It was spiritually sealed for me when, while watching the new Freddy movie, a friend of mine (who has NO clue I'm doing this series at all), turns to me in the theatre and says "This is something Scarecrow would do." Fate, nothing but.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Unlucky chapter 13 for someone. This might seem a weird aspect of the "Nothing to Fear..." arc but it's also necessary for some of the points forthcoming in this story. Some ass-whoopage in this chapter, enjoy.

**Nothing to Fear...**

**Five Days Later**

Around the corner, the steps of the North Jump-side subway station are clearly begging for a cleaning. Nevermind the hobo glancing up, muttering something in a drunken stupor. Past the arriving citizens strolling up the stairwell, giving a wide birth. No time to look back at any of them, there's a schedule to keep. A quick glance at the clock reveals a subtle "7:25" in the PM, almost time for the train heading across the bay towards Jump City. With luck everything will work with no distractions, no hiccups, and certainly no trouble along the way. Trouble has a habit of rearing it's ugly head whenever he tries to make things happen.

Maybe it's the confused expressions of the other riders that's raising the irritation in his mind. Yeah, it's dark in here, but this is a city that accepts bright, new ideas isn't it? A little style couldn't hurt. Right foot tapping slightly, where is this train? It's running late again..

A look to the left and the right, four men with black suits stand not too far away trying to act nonchalant. Million dollar suits, forty dollar bulk, and five cent brains. Amateurs, the lot of them. They think they can just strong arm their way into anything they want... well, this will be a beautiful learning experience, won't it?

Finally, the light of the BART train brings the nervousness to an end, headlights muted by the sunglasses as the white train pulls into the station. The doors hiss open, messages play over the intercoms, people exit past as the train prepares to take another load. One more person.. and maybe the four goons now following him.. for the train to take back to the city.

A few minutes into the ride, not a move out of place, nothing but waiting to get back home. Things have been so hectic lately around the city that it's a wonder someone's head doesn't just explode. Crimelords and metahumans, psychopaths and gangs with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Hell, if they even find out who's _really_ after them, they're out-and-out fucked.

"7:38" blinks the light blue Timex on his wrist. No time like the present to get this show started. Two snaps of the finger, four goons stand up and follow. Past the first car and into the second, only the driver's car remains. No one to stop him, no one to get in the way this time. It's 7:40 by the time they stand next to the driver: Show time.

A palm pressed to the side of the driver's face, a baritone voice announces "_Lighten_ my day up and stop the train.. before I stick your head out the window."

_As if my life weren't already hectic enough with Scarecrow rampaging throughout the Bay Area... I got an issue with the Desades, whom to my great disdain I met for the first time and didn't even know it. Not only that but Jake Dewalt told me the Desades weren't the only gang in town. "Bulletface" James Bryson and the Chinese Triads had been on the move as well. While the Desades clamped down on Jump City, the Triads were tightening up on Chinatown and the dockyards while the Bulletface gang was rumored to be patrolling North Jump. I didn't know at the time the connection to the three gangs and Scarecrow, all I knew is Dr. Light made an ass of himself by hijacking a BART train while UNDER the Bay. Only way in or out would be crawling with armed guards and the Titans within twenty-five minutes. Luckily for me I was down there before the police decided to close off the terminal. A bat can fly mighty far in a black tunnel..._

_They were right, the train was stopped in the middle of the track miles into the tunnel. Above the concrete tube was instant death, the pressure alone would kill you even if you could transform into an animal like I could've. Couldn't risk a collapse in there, innocent lives were at stake inside the cars. Maybe a 1/3rd of the train had passengers, most likely herded into one of the cars to keep an eye on. It didn't feel right from the start, Light wasn't a hostage taker nor a man who usually robbed a train. He'd prefer a train full of energy for his suit or a money train but certainly not a public transport subway car... If I only knew then what he was up to..._

Sure enough, there's a guard standing out of the back of the train. Standard issue MP5 in his hand, his eyes peering through the darkness, he shouldn't be too afraid as long as cops don't start flooding down the tube. Good thing Garfield Logan isn't a cop. Under the cover as a bird, Gar observes the occupants in the train for intel. Four men altogether, all with the same kind of semi-automatic weapon. Light is unseen at the moment but the control section of the train is blocked off from his view. Looks like a rear-entry, high-energy rush, priority keeping the civilians safe. Flying back to the rear of the train, the plan officially begins in earnest.

The first guard's a simple takedown. Growing to a human size after approaching as a fly, Gar covers the attacker's mouth then clubs his fist into the man's nose. Scream muffled by the hand, Gar finishes by flipping his prey back-first onto the rail. Not a motion out of the guard, the steel bar doing it's job to perfection.

"One."

..

Center of the train is where the last three guards and the hostages are being held. No more than forty people huddled together, three men with dangerous looking guns keeping them from a standing riot. A frontal attack would be suicide but transforming once inside would reveal his identity. A "rainy day gift" from Question might be needed here, particularly the one flash-bang grenade for Gar's 20th birthday. It's risky but better than a firefight with civilians getting hurt.

In the train car next to the hostage car, Gar shouts for help "Hey, I think I've got something here! Police are comin' down the tube!"

The ruse works as the three turn to the rear, guns ready to repel the NJPD...

...

Into the car, passing by Gar unseen, they're greeted by the sound of something round and metallic bouncing into their midst. Six eyes look down, one grenade bangs off. The high-pitched ringing and bright light blind their eyes and deafen the ears. Guns dropping, their hands to their ears and screaming for relief, Gar provides them with a merciful darkness. Kick to the back of the knee and elbow to the face,

"Two".

Three gets a fist to the throat and a face full of shattering window glass.  
"Three"  
The last one reaches for his weapon but Gar silences it with a boot to the head to knock him to the floor followed by a punt to the face to silence the last.

"Four."

Not wasting anymore time, Gar moves back to the hostages. "Everyone, you can get out of the back door. Get out of here, now!"

It doesn't take a second order to get the crowd moving, Gar jumping over the seats to cover their escape. Especially when the door to the control car opens with a very upset looking Dr. Light staring back.

"First you wreck a bank and then hijack a train? You're really branching out, aren't you?" Gar taunts none-too-impressed.

Hand palms out, Light sneers in defiance "This is the second time you've interrupted our plans, boy. There won't be a third."

"Who are you working for?" Gar demands, not threatened by the light projectors. "The Desades? Bulletface?"

"None of your business, _boy_." A beam fires from the right hand, followed by a second from the left. Gar rolls out of the way, using seats for cover before producing his shotgun. "I don't know who you are but you're not going to _darken_ my plans. I have business to conclude with _real_ heroes."

"Then I'll be a good warm up." Gar shouts, sitting up to take a shot at Light. The mad doctor twists away from the bullet and returns with a shot of his own. The blast hits the train wall next to Gar, throwing him out onto the center aisle. Gun aimed again, Light dares him "If you're really going to kill me, you better make sure you can shoot straight. It might save your life." No hesitation, just a grim, solemn glare by Light down at Gar.

"That goatee will do then." The solo shot from the shotgun is blocked by one of Light's palms producing a screen of energy particles. Another shot deflects the bullet away as well.

"One bullet left." Light sneers, daring for the final shot. "Your lucky bullet I imagine?"

Rising back to his feet, Gar bends his neck side to side. "I'll save it for the right moment. In the meantime, I can still have fun pummeling you before the police and the Titans find us."

Shield down, Light also balls his fists, rolling his shoulders. "So unrefined, youth these days. No appreciation for the grand scheme, only how many people they can hurt. Well let me shed from _light_ on your situation.."

"No, let me.. YOUR JOKES SUCK!" Gar lunges for Light, fist reared back for the hit. Question would berate him for the obviousness of the attack.

Light capitalizes by using Gar's momentum to throw him onto a seat face-first. No time to follow up, Gar's quick as a cat as he jumps onto the seat and swinging his elbow at Light's face. No time to block that one though, Light's body turning with his head from the shot. Hard elbow draws a little bit of blood from the doc's lip. A back-and-forth fight begins to ensue as Light's next shot is blocked by Gar but Gar's own fist is countered with a headbutt to the face. Attack, counter, hit, punch, kick, forearm.. While neither can be called martial arts masters, in this close quarters fight, one could say they've mastered the art of barfighting. Even as Gar's head is thrown into one of the commuter poles, he still manages to turn and bring Light's oncoming fist into the same pole to bring the scientist to a scream of knuckle pain. Two steps back, Gar runs and dropkicks Light back towards the control room.

"Had enough?" Gar asks, Light's body half in the room and half out.

...

Light's busy reaching into his pocket for a small container of substance unknown. Scarecrow's haunting warning ringing in his ears.

_"If you happen to run into your mystery stalker again, breathe some of this gas into your lungs. The effect will make you strong enough to fight him or anyone else who gets in your way."_

As directed, Light taps the trigger on top of the canister, a yellow gas flooding into his nose and mouth. Gar's confusion is further heightened seconds later as Light begins to laugh.. not even a snicker but a whole-hearted, sinister, wicked laugh.

"Had enough? Little boy, we've only just begun."

Hard as it to believe for Garfield but Light actually leans back and kicks his legs out, popping up onto his feet. Old or not, that was pretty agile for a man who prides himself on science rather than physicality. Even harder for him to believe is how the mad scientist before him can continue the attack even with cuts bleeding across his opponent's face. He doesn't even show a trace of fear at the prospect of being assaulted further, Light's never that calm.

Hands outward, Light's palm generators manifest two light whips of energy he's all too happy to flail about. "If you're done _pretending_ then allow me to get the party started!"

The energy whips start to cut through the steel train, narrowly missing the fleeing Garfield. Each beam can deal a ton of damage if Gar lets it strike his body but given the small space of the train, that's not the easiest idea in the world.

_"Gotta get out of here. Get out to the train tracks, I'll be skewered in here."_

Whips trailing him, Light chases Gar with a manic grin on his face "That's right, cower.. be afraid! I'll tear you apart atom by atom!"

Unlike Light, Gar has the advantage of speed. Near the back of the train, Gar has a good car and a half in length away from the mad doctor. Unfortunately, this gives him one bad disadvantage.

"HEADS UP!"

Gar spins his head back to his enemy to see a disc flying at his head. Instinctively, Gar uses his last bullet to shoot the object from the air. Bad move as the explosion is actually a blinder, forcing Gar's sensitive eyes to blank out on him. Ironic only minutes ago he used the same strategy to immobilize Light's men.

_"Fucking hell! That was fucking stupid, Gar!"_

When his vision comes back enough to see, it's the image of Light with a wide, open-mouth smile and two whips burning through the steel. At a full head of steam, the train begins to sever apart behind him as Light closes the distance.

By the time Gar finally emerges out of the subway station in North Jump, the full effect of the fight can be seen on his body. With torn and ragged clothes, face bleeding from several cuts, left arm dangling, and right leg limping more than his left, his eyes look utterly tired and worn while his breathing is still rough at best. With luck the Titans stopped him from escaping into Jump City again but right now, it's more important to get back to the safety of his hideout. Fix the bleeding, check on the damaged limbs.. reload, reconsider the situation..

Three blocks away from the station, Gar takes stock of what's happened. Whatever Light used to up his fighting ability was incredible. He fought entirely without restraint, without fear.. Just hard-hitting, full-bore, all-out attack.. If his power suit hadn't given out from over-taxing the energy source, Gar might not have survived the battle. Were the Titans the real intention of the plan though? A weary, tired Titans vs. an amped up, full-steam Dr. Light in the midst of an underwater tunnel? Either way, it's better off he took the brunt rather than his former teammates being killed en masse, this time.

"Gar? Is that you?"

Eye turning to his side, he manages to front another surprise today. "Kris?"

At first the look is surprise at seeing him but suddenly concern over his condition. "Jesus, are you ok?"

_"Why do people always ask that?"_. Stifling a small chuckle at the irony, Gar admits "Feels like I've been hit by a train. Yourself?"

"We got bussed over here after the train was hijacked. You need to go to the hospital."

Shaking his head, Gar tries to keep upright despite the bad leg. "No hospitals for me, smell too clean in there. Just need to sleep a little bit, clean the cuts, I'll be fine."

"Bullshit you ain't." Kris counters, looking at the wound on his forehead. "You need stitches, bad."

"Probably. I didn't get a chance to look yet."

Her own ears must be deceiving her, can this guy _really_ be that dense about his injuries? "Well I owe you one for beating up those thugs. Come on, I'll clean you up back at my apartment."

"It's fine, really." Need to get back to the abandoned, dusty.. dirty... lonely...

"It's either there or the hospital, you don't have a choice in the matter. If that wound gets infected, you're shit out of luck."

Her glare won't be beaten by his own Funny how she almost has Raven's glare. "... Ok, just to clean this up."

"Alright. By the way, are you always this stubborn?"

Yup, definitely a Raven glare.

A/N2: Well that was _enlightening_. The puns just keep on coming. Finally, Gar gets his ass kicked.. it was bound to happen, he's getting a bit full of himself. I wouldn't doubt if this really had an impact on his ego, and he does have one if it's not obvious. Yeah, I drew some inspiration from an anime again with Light running through the train. See if you can guess which Anime and Character I'm refering to. Based on support from my co-writer (of sorts), I liked writing Light's perspective in the first few paragraphs. Though, to get the right feel, listen to "The Big Payback" by James Brown.

Rhetorical: Did the Titans catch Light or not?


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: While this may seem like a fast update (I posted 13 late this morning), it took all day to type this. I couldn't help it, I like writing these kind of scenes. Although, the end is a twist that not many of you will have seen coming. Jameson rears it's green, chest-burning self!

**Nothing to Fear...**

_"Everything had taken a turn for the surreal... One minute, I was struggling to walk down a street in North Jump, my body wrecked from Dr. Light's train hijacking. Next thing I know, I'm being helped into the back door of that worn down, stocky two-story apartment building by a woman I saved from a gang rape almost ten days prior. Not even back in the city two weeks and I'd already gotten myself beat pretty bad, my arm wasn't moving too well and my knee felt like a sledge had come down on it. Light sure brought the pain that round, I can promise you that._

_The only problem with Kristine was her room was on the second floor. Fourteen steps when you're healthy isn't even a thought, fourteen when you're injured is a headache at best. We made it though, up the red-colored stairwell with the dim, yellowish light to guide us. Summer heat even at 8:30 at night, the corridor felt like a sauna.. I inwardly envied all the other residents with their air conditioners running on full blast. She apologized for the condition of her living, not that it was her fault, but just because you work downtown in a fancy hotel doesn't mean you reap the profits, not while living in California._

_If the hallway was small, her apartment was probably no bigger than two of my own back at the Tower. I've seen hotel rooms bigger than her whole place, that's for sure. Small kitchen with a table, bedroom, and bathroom, no living room... I probably would've felt worse about living in a hi-tech tower most of my time in Jump City if not for the pain wracking my body..._"

Sitting Gar down at the table, Kristine apologizes for the state of the apartment. "I haven't had company over lately. Give me a minute, I'll come back and help you stitch you that up."

Disappearing into the bathroom, Gar allows himself a quick look around the room. Outside of a sink full of dishes, nothing seems to be terribly out of place. Touching his head, he winces slightly at the feel of a nice, six-inch gash on his face just above the right eyebrow. Another scar the holoring will have to help cover up.

"'kay, let's see if we can make you look a little more human?" Kristine announces, sitting next to him with the other chair. To his chagrin, a bottle of peroxide and a medic box sit on the table along with water.

"I'd resent that if you weren't helping me right now." he admits, secretly noting the _more human_ aspect. "Got anything in that pack to kill the pain?"

"Some Advils.. That and half a bottle of whiskey from.."

"Whiskey." Gar blurts out, not even caring about the repercussions. If she was offering to kill the pain, be damned the medicine to be used. Back in a few seconds, she brings back two glasses. His has a noticeable extra few ounces to her's, a fact Gar doesn't even bother to mention. It all goes down the same: quickly while burning the chest.

"Oh... yup... sss.. that'll work." Gar muses, letting the booze do it's job. "That's not like the Jagermeister we had last week. What is it?"

Preparing a needle and stitching wire, she warns "Jameson, Irish whiskey. It'll take about ten minutes for it to take an effect but you'll know it when it does. In the meantime, that's looking pretty bad."

"Thank you."

"Hmm?" Kristine asks, that was a little out of the blue.

"Thank you.. for doing all of this. You don't have to.."

"I told you already, I owe you for helping me last time. Now shut up while I clean this. It's gonna burn but we can't have it get infected, can we?"

_"Burn it did. Peroxide on your face was something new to me, never heard anyone ever doing it. Didn't get it in my eyes but it felt like someone had just set me into the sun for twelve hours without screen but only burnt on my forehead. Still, it was worth in the end, I didn't want to get infected like she said. The drink helped, as did the knowledge I was still alive. When she finally got to look at my arm, I knew it was pretty serious. Again, she stressed she wasn't a doctor but it was swelling up pretty nice. It was probably more than a sprain, might've even been a break somewhere. Adrenaline, liquor, and a pain tolerance helped me forget about it for awhile..._

_My knee, thankfully, was only swollen. It still worked but getting thrown leg-first onto an iron railroad track will hurt anyone less than Superman. Some ice would help it for the time being. All in all I was beaten pretty good, with about twelve makeshift stitches in my forehead, a potentially broken arm, and a bum knee.. Exhausted, buzzing, and in the home of a woman I only met once prior while stopping a would-be rape... Life was interesting in those days."_

In the mirror, water running slightly, Gar stares at himself for a few minutes. His expression doesn't change, not in the slightest in the entire time. Eyes half-drooping, a grimace of low pain, a head both burning from the patched wound and the liquor, he looks like a boxer after a brutal fifteen rounds in the ring. Then again, his face wasn't nearly as chiseled since the last time he got a good look. No as ropey, gangly, and childlike like his years on the Titans. Hair might be a little bit of a mess, definitely needing a cut soon, but no longer just a clump anymore, looks more surfer-ish if he'd guess. Those eyes though.. when did they seem so far away? Even the Titans admitted he had one of the brightest, most expressive eyes on the team... But now, this looks similar to Raven...

...

Garfield Mark Logan, former Titan and former Doom Patrol member.. now licking his wounds from a beating of a lower-class, albeit it jacked up, supervillain... What could've been done to correct the mistakes? How could _Light_ have beaten him so EASILY? No way that burnout could beat a young, talented, and dedicated... vigilante.. like himself. But he did, or at least enough to warrant a draw.

"Gar.. are you ok?" Kris asks from the doorway, catching a glance at his expression in the mirror.

"... just thinking about tonight.. what went wrong..." Turning off the water, Gar holds himself up with his good hand on the sink. "What I can do to keep from getting hurt again."

"You're more than just a regular private eye, I can tell you're not like Jake."

Looking back, Gar asks "So you do know Jake? I thought you said.."

"He's more of a name to me than an actual person. He's dating a close co-worker of mine at the Hyatt, she tells me stories about him being a P.I. and all."

Nodding slightly, Gar agrees "Yeah, I'm not like Jake. I'm not lucky enough to have enemies in small places."

"So, you never answered me earlier.. How did you get hurt earlier? And don't tell me you got hit by a car or something, I know it's more than that."

Eyebrow raised, Gar suggests "That's very possible though."

"I watched you beat up those three men.. You set one on fire and took down the other two with a crowbar on your forearm. You didn't fight like a barfighter, you fought like someone who's been fighting criminals for years."

...

Sighing, Gar asks "I'll fill you in on 2 conditions, I _do_ owe you for tonight even if you say we're even."

"Fine, what conditions?"

"One, while I can't tell you the whole truth without putting you at risk, I'll give you enough of a hint to give you the idea. Deniability in case someone tries to pull the "where is he?" thing with you."

Leaning on the doorway, Kris nods in agreement to that. "Mystery man, huh? Ok, I can live with that. And the other?"

"If I'm gonna tell you, I'd like some more whiskey, the headache's getting worse."

"So, that's who you are huh? You're a "former associate of certain people who's job it is to keep certain other people from ruining the lives of the people at large?". You can be anyone! A cop, a soldier, hell you could be a corrupt lawyer trying to protect those fat bastards running the company!"

At the table again, Gar actually chuckles at that reply. "C'mon, you're smarter than that. You know I'm no damn lawyer."

"It sounds too pre-packaged to be a cop or a soldier though. Guess that means you're a metahuman or something, aren't you?" Kris offers, sipping her own whiskey as well. Unlike Gar, with his water for a chaser, she doesn't prefer anything but straight drink. Removing his ring, her expression only raises for a moment before settling back to a need for more whiskey. "Guess I hit the nail on the head.. Beast Boy?"

Ring back on his finger, Gar reminds her "I don't use that name anymore. Since I asked to be reassigned I've just been using my normal name."

Leaning back in her chair, glass in hand, she offers "Shame more _heroes_ couldn't do the same. Still, I'm surprised you'd show _me_ your real self under that illusion."

"As far as the public knows, Beast Boy isn't actually _dead_. He's just been on leave since early January for personal reasons. It's technically the truth."

"And that truth is?"

"I resigned so I could set things right in Jump City. After being poisoned with White Rabbit, I finally got to see why the city was becoming more and more crime-ridden. Titans never went after drugs so I decided to. Problem is I got in way over my head at first... I won't go into details but I almost ended up killing a serial killer when I found him in the act."

"So.. you're not a superhero anymore? Just a regular vigilante with superpowers who happens to be fighting for the little guy? I'm actually impressed, I didn't know they still made heroes like that."

"And I'd like to keep it that way. I wasn't going to show you my green self but I trust you'll keep it secret?" This is a leap of faith, probably wasn't helped by the Irish drink in his blood.

"Hey, you don't have to worry about me. You're just some guy I met on the street one night on the way home from work, aren't you?" Her own grin matches Gar's for once, both of them emptying their glasses in tandem.

_"Looking back on that night, maybe I did it for a reason. After so long of being the pale imitation, I almost began to believe I was human again. That night on the train tracks, I transformed more in one session than I had in four months prior. Little by little I was ignoring the animal side of me, happy to be "human".. Kristine had a way to make me feel human too, both in her humor and her ability to accept my personality. Not that she enjoyed the idea of me fighting, crippling, and possibly getting crippled myself.. Maybe the bent notion of knowing a superpowered metahuman, one that would protect her, was attractive to her? In those days I was never in the company of women outside of the visits to the Tower, it was entirely uncharted waters for this vigilante._

_She insisted I stay the night... Kristine not withstanding, both my buzz and my injuries would've kept me from even making it back. A buzzed, one-legged, one-armed man isn't much good in an ass-kickin' contest. So, she offered me the left side of the bed, providing I don't do anything stupid. Outside of the fact I spent seven years living in the same tower with two other women, my parents and adopted parents didn't raise me to be anything less than a gentlemen regarding women. I accepted this offer, I hadn't had a real bed since my time in the Titans. Question was keen on the notion of letting me sleep on his couch in his Hub apartment rather than letting me use the pull-out. Something about "learning to rough it" or some damn thing._

_My first time in bed with a woman, not even doing anything wrong... All I could see were the orange lamplight marks filtering onto the ceiling from outside. The curtain made it look more like a haze, not that my condition made it any easier to see. The headache was still there, as was the ever-present feel of Irish booze.. For my own good, I had to keep my arm over the side even if it did get numb. With luck it wouldn't aggravate it further. As for my other arm, it was curiously occupied by a head full of red hair. She told me it was a long time since she had a living pillow, even if said pillow was a wreck of a being..._

_I couldn't sleep, not at first. She was out in no time but I just stared at the ceiling, savoring the feeling that was a SOFT bed. No hard ground, no couch, no sleeping like a dog to pass the eight hours... Pillow, sheets, MATTRESS! I could hear cars outside, their passing like a lullaby at times.. That and the sound of her soft breathing. I didn't really know what I was doing there, or where it was all going, but I just laid there, staring at the ceiling... Tomorrow would be another day but for that moment, it was nothing but a dream._

Downtown in Jump City, Dr. Light stands inside a phone booth. Hoping to God a cop doesn't spot him, he waits impatiently for the phone to answer.

_"Who this?"_

"_Sunshine_, that's who!" Light barks into the phone. "I need to talk to him, now!"

_"Yeah yeah, hold your ass lightbulb."_

Good for nothing, worthless pieces of shit! How about showing that goon what it's like to hold _HIS_ ass, LITERALLY!

_"You're still alive after hijacking that train? I'm impressed, doctor."_ That damn, raspy voice is certainly not a voice from a goon.

"It was only by the skin of my teeth. That kid from the bank found me again. We had a fight inside the tunnel, it got intense. My suit's out of power but I managed to deal him some pain in the process."

_"Then I take it you used my little gift then?"_

Once again checking his back, Light answers "I did. What the hell did you give me?"

_"A little taste of my Never Fear drug. It removes the subject's ability to feel fear for as concentrated as the gas contained is. I trust it worked to your favor?"_

"It turned the tide in my favor. Unfortunately your hired help is now in the police's custody."

_"Pawns do not concern me, doctor, your safety does. Where are you at this moment?"_

"In a phone booth. I barely got out of the blockade the JCPD set up. The Titans were nowhere to be found."

_"That suggests my efforts aren't in vain. The Titans would have been there in an instant but they're becoming slower, more dependant on the JCPD to stop the masks of this city. This is good news indeed."_

"Wonderful, you're thrilled. Can I get a pickup here before I get caught by a patrol pig?"

_"After you complete one last errand."_

"What? I just hijacked a train for you! What else could you possibly..."

_"Go to Blue's Place on 59th Avenue. It's a nightclub under the ownership of Antoine Desade although his dear, little son Marin runs the place in his stead. We've gotten to that arrogant, drug-pushing degenerate through his daughter already. Let's see if he decides to work with Thorne after his son's club burns down, hmm?"_

Light actually pauses for a moment before a grin enters his face. "So you're not just here to fuck with the Titans, are you?"

_"What I do on my own time is my business, not some washed-up mobsters from Gotham. Make sure that club smolders."_

"My pleasure."

Hanging up the phone, Scarecrow takes his gaze away from the phone to move to a cell phone on his desk. Next to batches of chemicals, gases, and tubes, the former professor of fear presses a few numbers.

_"Speak."_ the feminine, Asian voice on the other end demands quietly on her end.

"The doctor is on his way. Is your employer ready to begin negotiations?" Scarecrow asks simply.

_"If your employer can deliver on his promise, we'll be ready for negotiations immediately. In the meantime, continue to tip the balance and you'll get your part of our deal."_

A quick snicker of amusement, Scarecrow admits "Your city's provided me with amusement so far. We'll be in touch in three days."

_"Scarecrow.."_ the woman warns on the phone. _"What will you be doing about the man who keeps interfering with Dr. Light?"_

"Rumor is he's not a fan of the Desades. If I can keep him from Light for a few minutes, I'll consider using him to our advantage."

_"And if he refuses?"_

"Then I'll use him as a live, human guinea pig. Sweet dreams."

A/N2: Light burning down Marin's nightclub because Scarecrow ordered it? Because Scarecrow is in league with someone unknown who is working on a deal to become partners with Thorne? And all of this is happening with the Titans and Gar receiving the effects of it all... Jump City's much darker than the media portrays, that's for sure.

Trivia:  
- Blue's Place on 59th, a reference to early Watchman reviewer "Blues59"

Rhetorical: The underworld is beginning to learn about Gar..


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Uh-oh, things are about to get a little complicated. Before you read this, please understand one thing I'm building to in this series that probably few have attempted on this site: I'm trying to explore the entire Jump City Bay Area's story rather than just Gar or the Titans. There's other groups that aren't too often explored; the JCPD for example. Nothing to Fear, yes, is hitting you with a lot of introduction and information but, then again, this saga is still in the early stage of Act 1. If this arc was on a roller coaster, we haven't even gotten 1/4th of the way up the first hill yet.

**Nothing to Fear...**

_"As much as I hated the idea of leaving Kris the next morning, I had things I needed to do. Not that it was easy to get up... How do you cope with something like that? The need to get up from a warm bed, a woman on your chest, just so you can go back to a tower to help stop a madman? The chance at a normal life, all I had to do was say "fuck it" and keep the act going... But that wouldn't make this city any better for more like her, it would only tear it apart. Maybe after the gangs and Scarecrow were dealt with.. maybe then.. It would've been a beautiful thing. Of course on the way back to the tower, I found out a certain nightclub happened to burn down. Question was still owed an ass-kicking for not telling me they were the Desades.. but finding out his only son's bar was "mysteriously" burned down made things easier to smile about."_

59th Street in downtown Jump City, normally an active storefront for the city but now most of the area is blocked off. Eight in the morning, the site is still being combed through by firefighters and police department. Obviously the sensitive nature of who _owned_ the bar coming into question for the JCPD. However the city's _finest_ choose to view the situation, for one man with an ash-colored suit. The reason why appears to ask in the form of one of the city's detectives. The P.I. looks to his side and notices the woman approach, his eyebrow raised at the sight. It's not every day the JCPD hires red-heads for their special investigations but who's he to judge?

"Mind if you tell me what _you_'_re_ doing here?"

Jake, taking his hands from his pockets, remarks to the woman standing next to him. "Hell of a way to say _hello_ to an old friend, Rebecca.."

"Detective Sinclar, Mr. Dewalt." she reminds him, not too happy at hearing..

"Of course, ma'am. Can't go and remind ourselves of high school and all that. I'd offer a smoke but I'm sure there's enough of that coming off this heap, so don't mind if I do."

Arms folded, she demands one simple thing "Since you're not here to help, you can leave now."

"Marin Desade ran this establish, didn't he?" Jake asks, puff of smoke exhaling from his lungs. Speaking with the cigarette between his lips adds a sort of mumble in each phrase. "Youngest boy of the biggest drug baron in the city. Funny this place, of all places, goes the way of the phoenix."

"As far as the JCPD, this appears to be nothing more than a routine accident. No one reported any unusual persons around the building and..."

"You really believe that, Re... Ms. Sinclar?" cuts in the investigator. "This placed just _accidentally_ went ablaze? All the enemies Mr. Desade makes in this city and not _one_ would take a shot at him through his son's prized business?"

Another step, this one a bit more threatening than the approach, she warns him carefully "I _know_ this wasn't an accident but I'm not as foolish as you to go and announce it. Desade will go on a rampage and kill the criminals who did this, not us."

"That's funny coming from you." Removing the smoke, placing it between his fingers, Jake asks "Is that the official policy of the JCPD? Let the animals wipe each other out?"

"No but it's better than seeing more police officers sent home with folded flags on their coffins now isn't it?"

Eyes back to the heap, Jake changes the subject "Who do you think's behind it then?"

Her own eyes look at the site as well, speculating "Rumor has it there's been some trouble lately for the Desades. Someone with a lot to gain must be trying to make his move very soon."

"Yeah, maybe.. The Bulletface Gang and the Triads have been in motion lately. Bryson's goons have been seen around Desade's docks in North Jump."

"What's your point?"

"Has it ever occurred to you, Detective, that the gangs have been reacting to something _other_ than a rival in Jump City?" Flicking the cig away, Jake lights a second one.

Seeing the pack in his hand, she motions for one herself. It takes a moment before Jake hands it over, lighting it for her. "We've been hearing lately there's been some Gotham influence spreading into the city. It's not hard to tell an East-coaster from one of the three gangs here on the Bay."

"How big?"

"Goons at most. The four men who helped Dr. Light hijack the tunnel were all ID'd as being from Gotham City."

Long exhale, the revelation starting to build in the PI's mind. Sinclair catches wind of this, enough to ask "You wouldn't happen to know something about, would you?"

"I wouldn't. Over in North Jump I have a friend who might know a little bit about it though."

"Didn't know you had that many friends? You always called them _"contacts"."_

A brief chuckle from the comment, Jake finishes "This kid's a good friend. He's fighting the good fight you and I can't. Better watch your ass though, I'm sure he's been watching this develop for some time."

At the Titans medical bay, Raven and Cyborg are reviewing Gar's arm as the former Titan keeps an eye out towards the bay. There's other things to think about than some break in his arm or whether or not he'll be bitched at for getting it broken.

"Well, the good news is it's a relatively clean break. Raven can have it back to health easier that way." Cyborg remarks, viewing his readout of his condition. "Light must've dropped you pretty good if you got this kind of damage."

"He was jacked up on some gas, I couldn't tell what kind. He hit like a fucking battering ram."

"You mean lighthead found himself a way to get stronger?" Cyborg asks, pointing out the break for Gar to see on the x-ray.

Wincing at the picture, that's a lot more dirty of a break that Cy suggested. "Didn't make his suit stronger.. made him crazier than normal though. His suit ran out of energy before he could tear my arms off."

"We'll worry about him later." Raven jumps in. "In the meantime, Scarecrow's been weighing on our minds since you told us he's been behind it. Robin's on the verge of a psychotic rage since he found out." Raising her hands up to his arm, she warns before she fixes his arm "That and think Star's nightmares have been worrying him even more."

"Has he gotten to you yet?" Gar inquires, the feeling returning to his arm will be nice.

Glancing at Cyborg, she offers for Gar "After I fix your arm, I'll tell you about it."

Always astute, Gar looks to Cyborg as his friend casts him a knowing nod. "Ok, after this."

_A young psychic's sleep is interrupted by the deafening, sustained blast of an air raid siren. Purple eyes wide, terrified, she scans the room while holding her ears. The sky outside her window is swiftly growing darker, the light of the city fading into black. Even the hundreds of crows flittering upward towards the roof seems to cast a veil of shadow over the room._

_"Azar.."_

_As soon as the siren came, it fades to silence amidst the black void outside the room. Out of bed, looking about in worry, Raven tries to gather her senses to feel what's going wrong... but nothing's coming through. Just.. emptiness in her own head._

_Hard to focus when the sound of a young girl's crying, whimpering echoes through her door. Startled for sure, Raven moves towards her door with a bit of restraint. _

_"Who's there?"_

_No reply, only an increase in the sound of crying. Slow, mournful, innocent tears much like that of a five-to-six year old. One last look outside the window, a look into the depths of nothingness, before Raven decides to risk it. The door slides open but no little girl is seen.._

_... and for the first time since Trigon's ascent, a very grim look of fear fills her face._

_Blood on the walls, on the floor, even dripping from the ceiling.. Thick droplets of crimson fluid drip like a rainstorm, splattering on a floor made of.. flesh?_

_Raising her boot from the first step on the hallway, she examines the.. substance on her foot._

_"It.. it can't be.. skin.. can it?"_

_The sound of crying again snaps her attention, this time behind one of the corners leading to the living room. Looking at the source once more, and the floor, Raven decides to go for it. The squishing, oozing sound of blood-filled flesh below sends shivers up the spine but her resolve remains strong. This sound is obviously leading her somewhere and be-damned if this.. flesh is going to stop her from finding out what. Curiously enough, with a look back, the floor seems to be dissolving with each step, becoming more and more rust-colored as opposed to fresh, red blood._

_Past her friends' rooms, sounds of moaning and grunting behind Robin's door. Taken aback for a moment, she keeps moving towards the whimpering sound, even past Jinx's abode. Not that the evil, snickering voice behind it isn't creepy but Cyborg's room full of roaring, screaming is enough to distract for a moment. Past Terra's old room, the blood on the floor now moving up towards the ceiling rather than following normal gravity. This shit's creepy, that's for sure, but the demon continues to the outside of the living room door. The sound of whimpering ended as it passed behind the door, no doubt the final destination. As she pulls apart the doors, the sound of shrieking crows echo into her ears..._

_..._

_Growling, hard moaning... Almost a guttural roar as it were. As gray hands come to Raven's mouth to muffle the shock, her eyes widen to sizes unimaginable for her personality. On the ground before her are the torn, naked, and ravaged forms of Jinx and Terra, their faces frozen with the look of a last-second scream. Their bodies look as though mauled by a rabid wolverine or a grizzly bear... Chunks of flesh missing from..._

_In the center, an unholy monster has her best friend, Starfire, in the midst of truly horrible sight. Her dead body already mangled, a twisted scene of necrophilia and sodomy is on-going. The creature responsible has it's back to Raven, large helmet of metal material hiding the thing's head. Just an apron for clothes, the monster hasn't noticed Raven's entrance._

_"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" Raven screams with all her might, hands aiming forward... but nothing. No burst of dark energy, no soul-self to fire the killing blow..._

_Throwing the mutilated corpse of Starfire to the side, the creature looks back at Raven. With it's large, angular helmet resembling a creature from Beast Boy's horror films, it rears up with it's right hand gloved in a glowing, four-pointed needle glove._

_"Do you enjoy my little present to you, little girl? After all, this isn't too far removed from how you were conceived." the twisted, raspy bite of Scarecrow's voice beckons, muffled through the iron helmet._

_"You rotten, god damn fucking monster!" Raven spits back, standing her ground. "You call THIS a "present?" What did you do to my friends?"_

_Stepping forward, the creature asks "Why would you ask such a question? We both know what happens when we don't fulfill our urges from time to time. How long has it been since you had a little release?"_

_Not even giving him the dignity of an answer, Raven again tries to use her magic but to no avail._

_"What's wrong, little bird.. Are you unable to use your daddy's magic against me?" Tapping his needles against his helmet, he continues "Then again, we're not inside your mind right now, you don't get to make the rules."_

_No escape, the door is held tight and won't open, even for all her strength. "I'm not afraid of you. I know you're just a dream."_

_Gloved needles tapping, one after another, Scarecrow asks "Just a dream, hmm? Well then, let's see just how real this dream really is..."_

After using her magic to heal his arm, she wraps up her description of the dream. "I managed to wake up before he got to me in this world. Whatever Scarecrow's using, it's powerful enough to keep us on alert even in the real world. It's working too, even Rob's about to call quits to daily practice on the field."

Checking his arm, Gar suggests "Then it's serious all right. Damn, I forgot how good you were at healing people."

"Odd way to give a compliment."

"I haven't had much in my life to give praise to since January." Sliding off the table, Gar suggests "If he's not doing it psychically, how do you think he's getting into your heads?"

"Robin suspects it's some form of gas we haven't identified yet... but I'm wondering if he's not using another means to get to us."

Eyebrow raised, Gar dares "You mean a way to enter your mind without even you knowing?"

"Maybe. He only gets to us in our dream state which means he has some way to protect himself into our consciousness."

"Like when people make noise outside your room and you can hear it in your dreams?"

...

"That's... not too bad of an idea. Tell Robin about that before you go." Raven's own version of an off-delivered compliment at the suggestion seems more startled than happy.

"Will do. Thank you for he arm, Rae." Gar offers with a smile, moving for the door.

She stops his exit before he can get to the door. "Garfield, there's something I want to ask."

"Hey, go ahead." This could be interesting.

"You seem more.. upbeat this time. Last time you came over you seemed so.. intense. Today you seem relaxed, happy even?"

Yup, very interesting indeed. "I had a good night. Well, not the Dr. Light part, but after it. North Jump isn't such a bad town once you get to meet the locals."

"_Really_?" He's hiding something, a guess from that small, nearly invisible smirk at the end of his lip.

Two finger salute, Gar wraps up "Yup, nothin' but whiskey, women, and song. Later Rae."

Downtown Jump City, amidst the skyscrapers and storefronts are throngs of humanity moving about their lives, oblivious. Fresh food in the air mixing with the thousands of exhaust fumes, crashing into the ever-present smell of the Pacific sea salt. Sunglasses are in order as the millions of windows reflect light all over the streets, truly the pearl of the West Coast. It's more like an apple than a pearl to those who see it's ugly side: beautiful on the outside, far more rotten on the inside. Sitting on a bench off Market St., Gar taps his earpiece, his coat resting at his side. A dour look on his face, almost dreading the phone call.

_"Yo, boss ain't available right now. Call back.." _a man's voice barks into the phone, eerily similar to the man Gar met at the hospital.

"Listen us sweet cheeks, I got some news for the boss and I don't think he'll be too happy if you decide to withhold it from him."

_"You're that little shithead from the other day, ain't you?"_

Despite the dour expression, Gar fills his face with a grin. Nice to hear a familiar voice. "Maybe? So make yourself useful, secretary, and get in there and get your boss. I'm not getting any younger out here."

If he could reach across the phone and kill him, Gar's sure this man-dingo must be frothing at the mouth. However, despite objections, he does warn Gar to hold while he gets Antoine.

...

_"Alright, what's the fucking emergency?"_ Desade demands on the phone, also none-too-pleased.

"I found out who's been giving your daughter her night terrors, sir." Gar keeps it short, sweet. Desade's time will come but if that drug fiend can take out Scarecrow too..

_"Well, who the hell is it?"_

"The name's Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. The Scarecrow. He's been working in Jump for at least a week now, givin' a bunch of people some terrible nightmares."

_"And just how exactly did you come across this information, son?"_

"Between patient testimony of a man with a needle-based glove and uses fear to attack his victims? Add the fact that several Gotham-based thugs were arrested last night in assistance to a local Jump City criminal, I can safety make that decision." Desade might be prodding Gar but don't piss off a man who's already been pissed off for months.

_"And you're positive about this?"_

"Absolutely." What does he care if he's wrong anyway? A Gotham villain terrorizing his city deserves to be mauled by the hounds.

_"Good, because if you're wrong, I'll personally make sure you don't live to make another one of your decisions again."_ Click.

Tapping the earpiece off, Gar nods a bit with a simple "hmm.." before standing up and walking back into the crowd...

A/N2: Desade knows Scarecrow's attacking now, the Titans are gradually sliding, and Jake may have given the JCPD a vital tip regarding Gar's crusade in the Bay Area. But, I question if Gar's not walking a tightrope even he doesn't conceive of. Just because you help someone like Antoine doesn't necessary mean he'll take it at face value.. And the JCPD won't be too thrilled that a metahuman (who's technically on hiatus from the Titans) is doing _their_ job for them.

Trivia:  
- If you haven't guessed it, Raven's dream was essentially a version of Silent Hill (complete with Pyramid Head rape)

Rhetorical: I wonder if Light, gassed up as he'd be, would be fearless enough to attack the Tower directly?


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: First off, the last 3/4th of this chapter is written on a Miller High Life-induced buzz. My birthday is tomorrow (June 16) and like usual, I'm celebrating it alone (because all my friends, co-workers don't give a shit). Now, this chapter is a strange one.. There's a lot of subtle things you need to keep an eye out, especially for the long-term. This arc is only the 2nd (large) one of possibly 6+ arcs.. There's a LOT of stuff to cover so we're still setting up shop. I haven't been buzzed in awhile, WOO.

**Nothing to Fear...**

June 11th, 2007

Four days with no attacks by Dr. Light... four days of recurring nightmares, the gangs of Jump City continued spread throughout the Bay Area, and little progress towards the goal. Scarecrow's hiding amazingly well, enough for even Robin to have a hard time sniffing him out. With the exception of the ongoing nightmares, the city seems actively peaceful for the first time in nearly two weeks. No major crimes, no mask threats, no fear-inspired psychopaths gassing up the city... The lull is only a breather to those who make it their living riding the waves of crime throughout the city. So it comes to no surprise to Gar when Jake drops some advice out of the blue.

Knives sharpened, gun cleaned and reloaded, Gar inspects his filthy home with a sense of pride. Dirty, crumbling, inhospitable to most human beings... A regular home away from home. It's amazing when you can do with a roll-out sleeping bag, a laptop, some store-bought cans of beans, and an arsenal fit for half a dozen muggers. Then again it's no beauty either, a soft, cushy bed would do wonders for his spine and some warm, home-cooked food would be heaven right about now.

Two beeps in the ear, a finger rises to answer the call. "Yo."

_"It's Jake, how's it going?"_

Pacing through the room, Gar admits in earnest "City's been mostly quiet since Light torched Blue's Place. How's it going on your end?"

_"Busy. Call me crazy but I've been seeing a lot of Bulletface members in North Jump, more than you'd think comfortable for a guy like Desade."_

Interesting thought. "Think something's up?"

_"It could be. With Jump City on alert from Dr. Light, the gangs could be taking it cautiously... but I don't think so. It just doesn't account for some things."_

Sitting by the computer, Gar opens the monitor to begin typing. "Such as?"

_"North Jump has traditionally been Desades territory. Maybe some small deals between local gangs and the Bulletface Gang here and there but they never came in such high numbers. What's really interesting is why the Desades are letting a rival group operate so close to their lifeline at the North Jump Port Authority."_

"You think there's more to this than Bulletface giving Desade the room to deal with Dr. Light?"

_"It's starting to look that way. I haven't heard much about the Triads but the JCPD wasn't too keen on giving me things to work with."_

Pausing a moment, Gar asks "You went to the _police_ for help? That doesn't sound like you."

_"I didn't go to the department, I talked with a... friend of mine on site at the nightclub fire. She wasn't too thrilled to talk business with me."_

"_She_? Didn't you tell me you already had a girlfriend?"

_"The detective and I go back as far as high school... I've been trying to patch things up, for business sake, for awhile now but.."_

Online maps of the docks as well as Jump City's ports could come in handy. "This one holds a grudge, yeah?"

_"You could say that."_

"Does this detective have a name? Maybe I've heard of her."

_"Detective Rebecca T. Sinclair, works for the city's high-class anti-gang unit. I won't tell you how she earned that position."_

"Illegal?"

_"Two fists, an iron will, and a hate for organized crime. The only problem is the JCPD didn't give the same qualities in her staff."_

A new map to focus on the downtown JCPD building... This could get very interesting indeed. "Think she'd be willing to help?"

_"Not if I'm the one doing the asking, that's for sure."_

"Then how about me?"

_"A hell-bound, reckless vigilante with a vendetta against Jump City's biggest drug family? I think even I'd have a better chance in this case."_

Click, print, turn off the computer. "I'll take that bet. Looks like it's time I finally get the JCPD off their ass and into the fight. Out."

Passing the Golden Gate bridge, no one in their right mind would consider the sight of a speeding, white boat loaded with people to be out of the ordinary. Hundreds of craft such as these pass by without incident each day after all. Not even the sight of a man in a white suit at the rear would be too out of the ordinary. Although, up close, his bold, evil grin and mechanical suit under the silk suit might be unnerving. Not as hair-raising as the sight of Punk Rocket driving the boat or the HIVE FIVE sitting across each other at ship's midsection.

Not a single one of their ranks looks back at Light, choosing not to dare look in his direction. This seems insignificant to the doctor, two vials in his hands. Eyeing them with anticipation, the urge to dispense their contents is almost overpowering. The sheer thrill of release from these capsules is incredible... but dangerous.. but who cares about that when you've nothing to fear at all?

"No need to waste the second one on myself. That bitch will get what she deserves for attempting to block out my _brilliance_."

"Jeez, lightbulb, you think you could come up with a better line that? Sheesh, I think we've all heard that one to death."

Gizmo's insult, while true, is enough to bring the doctor's attention back to his passengers. Almost game time but maybe the little twerp needs a little motivation. Stepping up, Light moves to a place in front of Gizmo as the other passengers continue to look away. Taking Gizmo's face by the hand, Light makes the young man meet his own eyes. It's only then does the screaming, terrified shrieking from the hacker begin. To his own eyes, Light appears almost like a bird made of lightning, beady eyes staring into his soul.

"No... no.. get away!"

"Maybe you should remember who has the antidote to your little problem. If you don't want to be fed to the sharks, I suggest you keep your little mouth SHUT!" Light snaps his gaze to the rest of the ship, demanding "Anyone else got a problem with me?"

"No, none sir!" the rest shout back in unison, not wanting to experience what Gizmo has been forced to see.

"Good. Complete the assignment, like we've asked, and then you can go back to a normal life. Until then, keep your fucking comments to yourself and keep your mind focused on the job!"

It's not as hard as you think to sneak into the biggest police office in Jump City. Only a few different forms of insects, a slip into the bathroom, and out you come.. Ok, maybe not for Garfield Logan but the hardest part is pretending to passerbys that the vigilante is actually here for a reason. That reason comes in the name on the door "DET. SINCLAIR", a quick knock away from answers.

"Who is it?" a woman's voice demands from behind the glass. Someone doesn't sound happy.

"May I come in?" Saying your name outloud in the middle of a police station isn't always the best thing. Who knows who's listening for the other side?

... steps... handle turns, the door opens. Gar's taken back a bit by the appearance of the woman before him. Jake never mentioned that she was just as much a red-head as Kris nor as cold with a glare as Jinx. "Well, now that you're taking up my valuable time, you can give me a name."

_Crap! What was that alias Question suggested?... shit... Something about an Alan Moore comic... OH! THAT'S IT!_

"For the time being you can call me "Watchman". Gar suggests, offering his hand. "Detective Sinclair, yes?"

Not shaking his hand, she moves back for her desk. "It's what the door reads, right? Well, since you're obviously not hear for a social call, you can start by asking what you're here for, _Watchman_?"

Stepping in, closing the door behind him, Gar asks "Mind if I have a seat? I've been walking all morning."

Offering him the chair, she tells him "By all means."

"Thanks." At his seat, Gar begins "Just to set the record straight, I'm here on the advice of a mutual pain in the ass. You wouldn't happen to know a trouble man in North Jump who happens to be a Private Eye, would you?"

"The mystery man Jake was talking about." Sinclair puts the hint into motion. "How exactly did you finangle your way inside the building?"

"Eh, ways and means. In the meantime, I have some questions regarding a more dangerous person within your jurisdiction."

"Antoine Desade?"

Shaking it off, Gar turns the table "No no, he's not that high on the list right now. I'm talking about Gotham's own Jonathan "Scarecrow" Crane."

"Scarecrow? You mean like _the_ Scarecrow from Gotham City?" Sinclair asks, the name a far cry from common in this city. "You mean he's _here_?"

Wisely holding back a crack about her detective rank, Gar confirms "Yes, in our very city. Several people around Jump City, including certain high-ranking law enforcement personnel, have reported seeing visions of the same man in their dreams. He's been identified in descriptions as the supervillain we're now discussing."

"As strange as it is to hear such a madman in our city, let me remind you I'm not assigned to metahumans and masks. This is for organized crime, not for psychopaths in tights."

Holding back a retort, finger raised but halted, Gar instead twists the issue "As funny as that description is, I'd suggest you consider the links involved. Are you aware that Rose Desade, the very daughter of Antoine Desade, has been afflicted by Scarecrow's attacks?" Sinclair's lack of a response seems answer enough for Gar. "I've been in contact with that family and have pledged to help resolve their issue. Not that I have any love for them, I have nothing but disdain for their whole family, but the city itself is in jeopardy."

"So why come to me?"

"Because Jump City isn't under threat from Scarecrow or even Dr. Light, whom I'm still not sure is connected to Crane. It's from the gangs that are preparing to take advantage of this crisis."

Flipping him some photos in a folder, Sinclair suggests "We've been aware of increased Triad and Desade activity in Jump City. We also know that "Bulletface" Bryson has moved some of his men to North Jump to protect against some unknown threat. Our agents are working to uncover just what exactly."

"If I were to pick your brain, ma'am, what would you propose is going on here?" Gar asks honestly. The pictures and information aren't exactly news to his ear.

"The Triads sweeping South Jump, Bulletface Gang combing North Jump.. Sounds like the three of them are working in tandem to find Scarecrow."

"That sounds reasonable. That doesn't explain all the Gotham help with Dr. Light though, does it?"

Twisting in confusion, she asks Gar to elaborate. "Are you suggesting Light's working with Scarecrow?"

"So far Light's actions at the bank and the hijacking under the bay haven't been his M.O. have they? They've been aimed at drawing the Teen Titans out to fight, the same people who have reported being afflicted by Scarecrow. This sounds like a routine issue of metahumans and their usual vendetta... but that doesn't explain the recent gang activity, does it? It doesn't explain why Desade's daughter is plagued with nightmares and his son's bar burns down all of a sudden."

"Jake was right, you have been watching over all of this, haven't you?"

Offering a smile, Gar replies "It's what I'm paid to do."

"By whom I wonder?"

"Everybody's got secrets, ma'am."

Back to business at hand, she asks simply "So what do you want out of us?"

"Simple. Would the JCPD be willing to help in catching the Scarecrow AND the gangs terrorizing this city?"

"Depends on who you ask in the JCPD. Not every uniform happens to be clean you know."

Hmm, good point. "Then who do I need to ask?"

"You can ask right now. I can tell you that unless you get permission from the mayor, vigilantism is a crime in our city."

Shaking the notion off, Gar assures her simply "Already taken care of. All I need from you is information that's worth knowing when I need it."

Eyebrow raised, this guy's certainly not your average private eye. "You plan to turn me into an ordinary informant?"

"Not in any insulting way but yeah, that's about right. You help me with information and after Scarecrow's dealt with, I start bringing you criminals your department's interested in."

Surprise still standing, she asks another question "You'll work as a vigilante _for us_? This sounds too good to just be a concerned citizen."

"Was raised in life to believe that you need to work in order to get paid. Time for me to start earning my paycheck then, right?"

Slowly, the boat patrols around the outside of the tower.. not too close, just enough to seem like a tour boat or some people wanting photographs up close. Dr. Light would rather see it ripped apart rather than photographed. At his word, the boat steers towards the island. Time for an amphibious landing that, hopefully, won't be under fire from the Titans' defenses.

Landing on the hard rocks of the island, Light orders the group to storm the tower. Running along with them, they move up towards the front entrance without being detected, noticeably. It doesn't take long for Punk Rocket and Mammoth to make short work of the front door. By now the Titans will have learned of the invasion, time to prepare for close combat.

Not the most obvious of a home resided in by a major gang boss but enough to fill his needs. Bulletface, drink in hand, sits on the balcony of his condo overlooking the Pacific Ocean. No ornate designs on the railings, no elaborate lighting nor plant life to decorate the space around him. Just a simple lounge chair, an end table, and one of the best views along the seaside of Jump City. From his vantage point, it's hard to notice but the sight of a boat crashing into the Titans Island is still visible. Some drunk fool must've gotten too close and beached himself...

The sound of a rolling glass door opens behind him, drawing his attention. His bodyguard, the woman in black and white kimono, looks down with a pleasant smile on her face. Sitting next to him with a plastic chair, she remarks "Everything is going smoothly today, isn't it?"

Lifting his glass towards the island, Bulletface nods in agreement "Except for that fool in the boat out there, I'd agree."

The boss's quirks can be ignored for the moment. "There's a rumor at the police department that a mask might've burned down Blue's Place. It won't take Desade long to figure out it's Dr. Light."

"Daiyu, that old man thinks this city revolves around him. Even after all these years, he still wants to control the city.. It's a shame but greed does that to people I suppose."

"Mr. Crane says he's deployed some other masks along with Light to stir up trouble for Jump City's police force. He's still willing to make the deal with Thorne."

Looking at his bodyguard and second in command, Bulletface asks of his Asian confidante "Daiyu, by agreeing to work with Thorne we risk the threat of a Gotham invasion. Everything we've worked for in these past two decades will go up in smoke once they arrive. If that rabid Irishman from out East comes in, we'll never force him to leave."

"And if we don't, Desade will eventually squeeze you out of competition for good."

Hand squeezing the glass of liquor harder and harder, Bulletface feels the sting of rage building in his heart. "So we'll work with a madman to ensure one rival is replaced with another? No.. that's not a worthy trade. At least I can still talk reason with Desade... Thorne would try to bump us all off within a year."

"So what do I tell Crane? If he hears you refuse his offer, he could come after you instead."

His own eye meeting her's, Bryson asks "What happens if he doesn't find out? Better yet, what happens if that little kid who's fighting Light conveniently happens to find out where Scarecrow is?"

Her turn to be surprised by the suggestion "You mean.. use the vigilante to help remove Scarecrow? What if Gotham retaliates?"

"With Desade's kids being brought into this, Desade will go to Gotham and kill Thorne himself. Why waste our own men on killing Crane anyway? Use the kid and we'll reap the benefit. Hell, if he's good enough to remove Scarecrow... maybe he'll be good enough to help us get rid of Desade. A joint Bulletface-Triad union in Jump City, without any more freaks from the Desades... sounds good, doesn't it?"

"It does." Daiyu answers. "Should we contact him yet?"

"Not yet. Let's make sure everyone's in position before we move on with the plan. In the meantime..." Putting his drink down, Bulletface motions for Daiyu to sit with him. "Let's enjoy the sights, shall we?"

A/N2: Gar FINALLY drops the Watchman name.. in perhaps the most ass-way possibly. He's got an "in" with the JCPD, the Bulletface Gang is well aware of him, and now Light's about to lead a raid on the Titans Tower itself. And yet... through all this there's this massive politics game going on between the gangs of Jump City that even Gar only has an inkling to. Beating Light and Scarecrow might actually unleash something far worse.

Trivia:  
- Rebecca Sinclair (as is Jake Dewalt) are original characters from an unreleased story (non-Titan story). Their story is more attached to the soul of Jump more than it's substance.  
- Alan Moore's "Watchmen" is referenced.

Rhetorical: What happens when a man without fear fights someone without limits?


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Although not my best "fight chapter" ever, this chapter isn't meant to be "the big fight" it might appear to be. Just because you hit your enemy's house does not mean it's the "final showdown". This chapter went through almost five different re-writes, mainly because it's not really Gar's perspective. I'm taking some liberties with characters based on hints from the cartoon and plot holes the show never filled in.

**Nothing to Fear...**

_"My name is Doctor Arthur Light, former physicist at S.T.A.R. Labs, Western Division. For over seven years I've been a major force to be reckoned with in Jump City, unmatched in intelligence and ability. But whenever one's star becomes too bright, jealous upstarts will always try to darken your skies. Those.. kids.. Dragged me down in a anger, they couldn't stand my genius and so reduced me to a mentally-ruined form. That bitch, codenamed "Raven", used her evil magic to poison my mind. Poison that, until recently, had rendered me a laughing stock throughout the criminal world..._

_I would have rather died than become some useless, clumsy fool. They claim to fight for justice and what's right but showed no worries in reducing me to your average high schooler's IQ! With no means of escape, I was lured into a new drug filling the arteries of this city, a drug capable of removing my grip on this otherwise cruel world... but it too was a poison, one that pulled me down into the depths of depression and incoherence for almost five months. Had it not been for the arrival of one of Gotham City's famed supervillains, I'd still be lying in that alley, begging for my next fix._

_He promised me an escape from the drugs as well as a chance to reclaim my stolen honor. All I needed to do was help him keep the Titans off his back, distract them, wear them down.. It wouldn't be too hard he said, his fear gases would make my job infinitely easier. But the more I fight that boy in the trench coat, those piercing green eyes... the more I crave, not White Rabbit, but Scarecrow's fear-removing gases. He keeps trying to ruin my plans, whoever he is... and I need that release just that much more... They give me the strength I need to finally end that bitch's life, take back the name that struck fear into the hearts of Jump City's citizens. Doctor Light, the genius that I am, will once again illuminate this city to it's crippling lack of intelligence. I will have my revenge and all who stand in my way will embrace the eternal darkness once and for all!"_

_"We were there in the belly of the beast as they'd say. The large one of the group, Mammoth they called him, used his considerable size to smash the front door down. Their reconnaissance member, See-More, used his sensory abilities to sweep the area. No one was near so we pushed forward. I made sure to keep them moving, we couldn't waste our chance now that we were there. If they were right about their last invasion of this island, the children upstairs would get to us in force within seventy seconds. We'd need to get into the Tower, secure a hold on our gains, then prepare for the inevitable counterattack. Private HIVE made that much of the plan clear but I wasn't here to simply "invade", I was here to make sure those Titans never escaped the Tower.. alive._

_By the time the elevator got us to the top of the Tower, the Titans had been prepared to deal with us. They would make their stand in their plush, city-provided living room. That glaring, bright-colored idiot with the mask aside, the luxury of the room alone made me furious. I was lucky to not sleep in alleys anymore while, for years, they probably slept on satin mattresses!_

_Robin, the Boy Wonder, said something to us first in warning. We wouldn't be stopped, not for him or anybody... But unlike before, they looked quite different indeed. It was the way their stances weren't as tight, their eyes not as bright... I could almost make the pale coloration around their eyes even as the sunlight filtered into our vision._

_I raised one of my light projectors, making sure not to damage my pristine, silk suit. "HIVE, Rocket, attack!"_

_And there they went.._

_Private HIVE, shield leading the charge, deflected the metal one's sound cannon and finished it with a punishing shoulder block. Punk Rocket's guitar flailed away at Robin, his little boomerangs combining into a sword.. The big one and his little computer friend were pursuing Starfire while See-More, the freakish Batman-looking mute, and their multiplying friends went after the orange-skinned alien and the HIVE's former partner. For me, as instructed, I was left alone to deal with the woman that had brought me to this level. She could tell why I was here, her eyes glowing that eerie white as my hands began to crack with energy..."_

"Why have you come here?" Raven demands, levitating off the ground a few inches while Light continues to approach. This isn't the usual Dr. Light, he normally cowers in fear with wide eyes rather than narrow, gleaming ones as he draws near.

"To kill you and your friends, of course. After all, it's only natural that light snuffs out the dark."

Her own voice growing with anger, Raven retorts "You _really_ think you can get away with this? Little man, you don't know what.."

Two palm blasts fired her way are deflected but only just. "I _know_ I can defeat you. I know _how_ to beat you."

Rising higher into the air, eight feet from the ground, Raven ignores the battle around them to summon up her energies. Light wants a war, wish granted.

Downtown, a beeping sound echoes into the ear of Garfield Logan. It's a sound he's heard dozens of times over the years, one that Beast Boy would respond to with urgency. Garfield Logan will be no exception.

As the battle begins to expand beyond the living room, Cyborg and Robin's fight being dragged down onto the rocky grounds below and Star and Jinx throughout the hallways, Raven and Light find themselves on the top of the roof. Three-on-two on the Titans to keep them away from the main target: Raven. Then again, when you have a man in a powersuit vs. a woman with demonic, telekinetic energy at her control, it's not entirely an even match.

With the city and Pacific as their backdrop, they engage in an epic duel befitting the yinyang: Light vs. Darkness. Energy beams deflect off shields of dark magic while her own attacks are thwarted by several of Light's own weapons.

"Hard to concentrate when you get a good at the _light_!" Light shouts as a disc not too dissimilar from Robin's explodes before her, blinding her eyes from the intensive burst of illumination. No fear on his face at all, Light closes the gap between them, swinging for the fences while a thin stream of energy desperately tries to counter the blows. With the temporary blindness fading, she can start to make out Light's wildly slugging form, enough to stop one of his attacks long enough to send him flying backwards from a psychic burst.

Incredibly, the evil doctor shrugs off the dust, lamenting that she caused several rips in his coat. Tossing it to the side, the white vest and tie seem out of place with the thin, black power suit underneath it. Fashion can wait, the two palms generate the blades of energy he used in the train attack days prior.

"You're working for the Scarecrow, aren't you?" Raven demands. Gar isn't here to do the talking and Robin's busy below... "Why did he send you here!"

"_Send_ me here? Excuse you, demon, but I wasn't _sent_ here." Blades pulled back, ready to charge, Light beckons "He only provided the means, I'll deliver the killing blow myself!"

"You're smarter than that." Raven counters, delaying him a moment later. "Even you have to know Scarecrow's just using you."

"Of course he's using me. As long as he delivers on his promise, I'll help him overthrow your little _team_. It's the least I can do after you people RUINED me!"

"We didn't ruin you, you did that all on your own." Raven reminds him but recoils as a VERY angry Light charges forward, blades ready for action.

In the midst of a very, very dark room, Red X, of all people, finds himself wondering one very important question out loud "Got a reason why I'm standing here in the dark?"

_"It helps keep the focus on more important things."_ the raspy voice of the Scarecrow beckons from somewhere in the room, unseen. _"We can't have any unnecessary memories to ruin our mutual concerns, now do we?"_

"... even if I knew what you were talking about, I'd still ask why I'm here. I have more important things to do than waste time with one of Bat.."

_"Let's not mention that name in this place... He's caused us enough trouble on one coast, I'd rather not have to deal with him here. You're here because you're dependable, unlike some of my current help in this city."_

"Depends on what you need me to do."

_""Bulletface" James Bryson's associate has told me her boss and his allies are willing to work with my employer. However, my time in Gotham has helped me realize that criminal's words aren't worth the air used to speak them. So, if you're up to the task, I'd like you to find out what they're really after."_

"Bulletface Bryson's an arms dealer. He's only interested in money and power." Red X replies. "You don't get to deal with weapons in this city without his say-so. If I were guessing, I'd say he doesn't want competition. If some of your more.. unstable kind from out East come.."

_"Speculation will not earn you money, facts will. Fifty-thousand for what I need to know plus fifty more if you can do one other little favor for me."_

"That's a lot of money. What's the other job?"

_"We'll discuss that after you find out what Bulletface is really up to."_

"You were never this subtle back in Gotham.. what happened?"

_"And you've traded wearing a hood for a suit.."_

The battle for the Tower roof continues, hard and fast. Light's energy finally begins to wear down Raven's psychic energy, cutting through like a torch through metal, Light eagerly awaits the killing blow. Each time Raven tries to throw Light back, he pushes again with ruthless aggression, no sense of fear nor restraint at all. With a large burst of energy, Light's shot destroys her psychic shield and throws her back onto the asphalt roof.

"It's amazing what you can do when you finally face your fears, isn't it? No more than six months ago, I'd cower at the sight of you." Seeing Raven on the ground before him, his smug smile grows just a little bit bigger. "So, demon, what's it like looking up to your _superior_?"

Click...

Much to Raven's, and especially Light's surprise, the sound of a shotgun being ratcheted behind Light's head seems the most unexpected thing that could happen at this moment. Outside of Cyborg, there's only one person from this team that could produce such a sound.

"Do you know how hard it was to follow you here?" Gar asks, playing off his disguised persona. "I had to _force_ someone to float me over here in his boat, climb all the way up the steps, and THEN see you try and get your rocks off by beating on a woman? You really are pathetic, Dr. Light."

Light, however, only returns to his borderline-psycho smile. "I wasn't expecting _you_ but this can only get better from here."

"Give it up, Light." Raven announces, standing up on her feet. "You've lost."

"_Lost_?" Light repeats sarcastically. "I haven't even begun."

Faster than Gar expected, the doctor spins on his heel, cutting through the shotgun with a light blade. The loss of his weapon triggers a reaction in Gar, his body bouncing backwards a few steps to gain some space. Raven follows suit, leaving the fearless doctor stuck between a demon and a hard place.

Light eyes up his recent tormentor, warning him "You shouldn't have interfered in _our_ business. This is between me and the demon.." but as Light looks into the eyes of the man staring back, his words are rendered silent. With Raven watching on, becoming less angry and more curious by the second, Light keeps watching Gar but tries to figure out something.. that nagging feeling in his head.. _familiarity_.

"You're working with Scarecrow, that's enough to make it my business." Gar answers, cracking his knuckles. "_You_ shouldn'tve ruined these people's business, _Light_."

_"I couldn't place my finger on it entirely... but it was those green eyes that made me question this boy's existence. Green eyes, blonde hair, cheap clothes and duster trench coat.. He stared at me with the eyes of a thunderstorm, ready to break and rain down with all the fury of nature behind him. The demon bitch was bad enough but this wasn't just some supernatural rage he was showing me, this was something much more primal._

_I finally decided to ask the obvious question, "Who are you..."_

_"You already know my name." he answered, his facial expression not changing in the slightest. I didn't have a damn clue who he was but I knew, at the very least, he wasn't some average kid from North Jump or Jump itself. He had the eyes of a tiger and I was the red piece of meat. Of course the Never Fear would never let me begin to shake with fear as I might've prior to my encounters with Scarecrow._

_"Quit toying with me, boy!"_

_"I told you I'd be watching you, Light." That little shit really was playing with me..._

_"So you're a watchman then.. You really think this is a comic book, boy? Do you think you're going to intimidate by pretending to be a superhero?" I was pissed off and getting angrier by the minute. I'd put both of them in their place in a heartbeat. "Sorry to disappoint the two of you but there's no happy ending at the end of this fight!"_

_It surprised me to see that the demon decided to pounce at me first. This was the moment I was waiting for though, the moment I'd been planning for days. The entire fight I goaded her own with fists, trying to get her to move in close... With my back turned, I could lure her in. Her training failed her, I'd educate her on her lack of intelligence..._

_But how that boy managed to get in front of me.. I didn't understand. Is it possible he knew what I was going to do? No way, there's just no way. She took a step back as he breathed in the gas from one of the capsules..._

_"You stupid, god damned idiot!" I shouted at him.. "That gas WASN'T for you!"_

_She turned to look at him, he had his eyes shut tight. Although this wasn't the worst that could happen, HE wasn't the one I wanted to be afraid of ME. "But since you've stupid enough to willingly suck in this gas, why don't you be smart enough to lock eyes with me!"_

_His coughing fit ended after a time, she moved in next to him to try and help.. damned bitch.._

_"Raven..." he spoke quietly, barely enough to hear from where I was standing. "I'm sorry."_

_That crazy, no-good... He actually turned and looked to HER with eyes wide open. He allowed himself to be afraid of her WILLINGLY! And sure enough the screams of terror began, that smug expression of his turned completely into fear... No matter how she tried to plead with him, he back-peddled until he dove off the side of the Tower screaming in fear. The gas had worked... but I was in a bad situation for sure. Still, if you have to die, make sure you fuck the rest of the world up in the process._

_She closed in on me in an instant, eyes burning white and crackling like thunderbolts. She must've been red hot, enraged by what I did to that.. that "watchman".. She grabbed me by the throat, using her power to lift me into the air. Only one thing left to do, the world would condemn me for this but if I was going to hell, this female-version of Pandora's Box would drag the world down after me. The other capsule, the one I was begging to use on myself some twenty minutes prior, sprayed Never Fear gas into her own face..._

_..._

_The rest of the events surrounding the battle are hazy in my mind following the resulting actions. She dropped me and stepped away until the coughing ceased. But when her eyes opened, even the gas in my own blood began to dissipate at the sight of the devil's child glowing white. Her clothes even looked pale as snow, energy wrapping around her body in black pulses... Looking down at me, she spread her arms wide and spoke in words I could never hope to understand. Her palm stretched towards mine, gathering up her power... The sky turned dark with angry clouds... the wind picked up... this was it, I had unleashed hell on Earth..._

_.. and before the final blast came, that Batman-looking boy appeared, whisking me away from the Tower and certain death..."_

"That was weird..." Bulletface remarks from the high-rise patio, both Daiyu and his own eyes raised at the sight of the storm disappearing over the Tower.

"Looks like it wasn't just a boat accident." Daiyu suggests, a drink of her own in her hands as well. "America can really be a strange place, can it?"

"You got that right."

A/N2: Glad I got this monkey off my ass. This was a LOT harder to write than others because it needed to be written right or it would've tanked worse than it probably will. In keeping with the reality of battles being short, intense, and to-the-point, Gar's actually one-upped here by a clever, fearless Dr. Light. If not for the aide of a teleporting HIVE member, Raven probably would've blasted him into nothingness. But... what exactly is Red X's other job I wonder? A fearless Raven... Gar (like V.1.) can't look at Raven without becoming afraid... And with the potential Scarecrow/Bulletface connection going sour, what's in store for the city?

Trivia:  
- S.T.A.R. Labs is mentioned on the idea that someone as intelligent (prior to his crime-spree) in physics as Arthur Light would probably work at a high-end facility. How else would he obtain the initial technology to create his light suit? The show never mentioned where he came from, bite me!  
- Red X's identity is strongly hinted here (based on the idea hinted at the show he might be Jason Todd). No, I'm not bringing Todd into this.. but it's more of an in-joke for my series to have people know but not reveal his name.  
- Light's retort about the "Watchman" name, indirectly, stems from Veidt's retort to Rorschach "I wouldn't announce my plan like some comic book villain".

Rhetorical:  
- "Garfield "Beast Boy" Logan... what do you fear most?"


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: The aftermath of the Tower battle. Raven's none-too-happy that her friend's been rendered afraid of her, none too at all. Not for any reason of course, nah.. As for Gar, the lingering truth of White Rabbit hits him a little bit in this chapter (he'll have a temporary shelter from the storm). Light's becoming a junkie whether he likes it or not, or even admits it.. Not a great chapter but now it gets a Titan off her ass and into the fight.

-

**Nothing to Fear...**

_"I was truly in a world of shit. Not that swimming half-way across the bay was bad enough, mind still reeling from those fear gases.. but in a half-assed way, I hit the water at an angle. Not that hitting the water as a dolphin helped much, the impact still hurt like hell, but it did something far worse. As I dragged myself onto the outer bank of the coast road, the city didn't quite look the same as it always did. For one thing, the buildings seemed to lean, bend, float back and forth like I was still in the water. The cars looked like reflections against a fish-eye lens, contorting as they passed by, honking their horns. The vibrations weren't nearly as bad as I expected from what I was experiencing but trying to balance yourself while on a White Rabbit-relapse was difficult to say the least. _

_I desperately needed shelter, safety... The Tower was quiet when I left minus a hell of a thunderstorm brewing above their heads. Maybe Raven managed to fry his ass? I'd call later to make sure but in the meantime I needed to get my ass out of view, immediately. The only option I had was a gas station, windows boarded up and pumps left to rust. Who was I to argue about my living space? For the past six months, I've made temporary housing out of an abandoned building in North Jump, a gas station might as well have been a step up in real estate. I probably looked like a drunk as I walked, or rather slugged, my way towards the building. Dr. Light did a number on me, that much was sure, I have to give the genius his due."_

Back at Titans Tower, a certain empathic young woman walks through the corridors of her home, examining the damage wrought by the battle hours prior. Hard to believe that this kind of damage could be done in a fight that lasted only twenty minutes, including when Light's boat hit the shore. Starfire's starbolts burning into the walls, Jinx's hex magics melting some of the other side. Thankfully nothing major had been damaged nor destroyed but the attack, the largest since Terra's betrayal, will have serious consequences. Although Robin will probably go off on a tirade and possibly a paranoid breakdown, it's obvious Scarecrow's dream attacks have played their part. It took so long to retaliate that all this damage might've been preventable had they been at full rest.

..  
And outside Gar's old room, still housing the bunkbeds from his time with the team, the empath stops for a moment to consider the realities of today's skirmish.

_"He chose to be afraid of me instead of Light, It was the right thing to do but... Had he deserved a fate that cruel?"_ Not that the idea of Gar's reaction to her would deter her from looking but the grim reality that the men behind this were still at large is enough to give rise to her rage once more. Of course Robin's search following the HIVE's retreat had proved useless. Hard to track a group that vanished into thin air from Kyd Wykkyd. There would be some hell to pay for what they've done here today, that's for sure.

"Raven?"

Starfire's reserved question brings Raven's attention away from Gar's old room and towards her friend. "Yes?"

"Were you thinking about Beas..."

Nodding quick at the name, even if it's not the right one, Raven confirms "I was. You know what he did when Light gassed him... He chose to fear me instead of give in to that lunatic."

"Robin says he has not heard from him. Do you think he is all right?" the worry in the alien's voice seems enough for even a non-empath to tell.

No worries at telling the truth, she bluntly reminds her friend "He didn't splatter on the rocks so he should be just fine. He's probably still feeling the effect of the gas. He'll be back on Scarecrow and Light's trail by morning."

"And you? You do not seem as worried as the rest of us."

Eyebrow raising, Raven suggests "Because I'm not worried, Star. We'll pay them back for this, I guarantee that."

For the first time, Starfire points out in surprise "Was it the gas the doctor of light used that turned your clothes white?"

How did something like that go unnoticed? Wasn't it blue just a minute ago? "No, it wasn't the gas. Strange, huh?" Cracking a smile, Raven dares "I kinda like it."

Starfire's eyes widen a bit at the mirth in her friend's voice. Fearless or not, the sound of a gleeful Raven is a scary one at that. "There is one other thing I wish to ask you, friend Raven."

"Shoot."

"After Beas.. Garfield, after he became afraid of you. Were you really going to kill Dr. Light?"

A loose grin on her lips, she replies honestly "Maybe, I wanted to. The only thing that saved him was Kyd Wykkyd teleporting him in time."

This wasn't the answer Star was expecting from her friend, not in the slightest. "You were going to _kill_ him? Raven!"

"What? It's true, he deserved to die. He's been helping Scarecrow terrorize our dreams. Not to mention all the robberies, hijackings, and Azar knows what else he's.."

"But we do not do that in the Titans. If you were to kill him, you'd be.."

"But I didn't so we don't have to worry about it anymore." Stretching a bit, she changes the subject "The air's getting a little stuffy in here. I'm going outside for a moment to catch some air. I'll be back, Star."

Before the native Tamairanian can respond, Raven fades up into the ceiling and out of here sight. "Raven really is not of her normal self... This can not end well."

Luckily the inside of the garage isn't nearly as messy as the front appears to be. Sure there's dust abound but even a mouse can find an entry into the rear. Of course once that mouse re-humanizes, Gar quickly stumbles to his knees from exhaustion. Not much to say about the interior minus the I-beams holding the structure in place, the office to the side, and locked garage doors. Whoever owned this shop seemed to have quite a place on his hands. He also must have left in a hurry from the sight of tools and, mercifully, a couch remaining. The couch sits inside a small room in the back, an old fridge and workbench also line the room. Minus the long, narrow window above the couch, the room seems more of an living room than an office space. The door, a bit cracked and faded from age, separates the two. Even as the drugs keep his balance off, the sight of the building offers potential. It might not be such a bad idea to have a base on the waterfront of Jump City, especially one so close to the Tower. For now though the couch will have to do. Even if it does look beat up, style from the 70's, and dusty as all hell, it's still something far more comfortable than a sleeping bag in North Jump.

Raven's eyes scan the horizon, the massive city that serves as "the Jewel of the West", and ponders it's destiny.

_"Seven million people in that metro area, thousands of them bad seeds and criminals. Thousands more ready to take that plunge into evil. Wouldn't it be easier to just destroy the whole damn thing? It wouldn't be hard, just an extension of will. Hell, if I have the power to banish Trigon, I have the power to reduce a city to rubble with no trouble. But there's still too many good people out there... Including one that kept me from getting gassed, and afraid, of Dr. Light.."_

Legs folded up to her chin now, she keeps staring even as her eyes go softer at the memory. How Gar got between them so fast is a mystery, it almost seemed like a blink of an eye.

_"He told me he was sorry. He was terrified about what he was about to see. It was just like the night he was drugged with White Rabbit. The terrible look of fear in his eyes as he saw me, desperately trying to escape. And there was nothing I could do to stop him, I couldn't save him from what he was seeing... And yet, he survived it the first time.. He'd survive this one too, there's no doubt about it."_

"The people who did this to him will pay. Scarecrow, Dr. Light, you're mine. You hear me!" she shouts at the city, not caring if her friends hear her "I'LL MAKE YOU SUFFER FOR WHAT YOU DID TO HIM!"

Dr. Light, suit torn in several places, stands across a table from Scarecrow. The scowl on Light's face indicates his obvious displeasure at the day's results. Either that or his expensive suit's now ruined but probably not. Then again, with a man in a corporeal burlap mask staring back at you, it's unnerving for a man who's fear-resistance is wearing off.

"And you're certain you've made the young vigilante afraid of you?" Scarecrow asks, voice ending with suspicion. "He'll be afraid to assist the Titans the next time you fight them in public?"

"As much as I wish he'd look at me first, he will indeed be afraid to see that demon bitch the next time we fight. As for her, she'll be under watch from her friends for the time being. Until that concentrated dose wears off, she'll be a loose cannon."

White finger rubbing the bottom of the brown chin, Scarecrow proposes "Was it wise to give her the Never Fear gas? She could become a dangerous opponent from this moment onward."

"Maybe. But then again, the Titans fought very badly in the last engagement. They're tired and burnt out. I almost beat her even without the fear gases you've provided me."

"And you're certain that other boy is still alive?"

Sneer on his face, Light remarks "No one saw him splatter on the rocks below. The Titans would've announced if a vigilante like him was killed during the fight anyway to gain support from the city. No, he's still out there. But maybe next time he'll think twice about fucking with my schemes."

Taking the information in, Scarecrow contemplates the next move. "Either way, you've performed very well, Light. We've battered them, weakened them, chipped away at their mental health... soon they're be ripe for the kill. In the meantime, I want you to prepare for the next attack. I don't expect Robin will stay still for very long, if he's not already putting a plan into motion."

"You just give me more of your fear-removing gas and I can take on any threat they send my way." Light proudly boasts, the feeling of power too much to resist.

A foreboding chuckle from the master of fear puts Light in his place. "Would you? You need to be careful how much of this gas you inhale. Too much and you'll permanently lose your ability to feel fear. Without fear you'd be lucky to stay alive for longer than a month."

"And without fear, I can beat anyone who stands in my way. You've seen what I can do with it, you could say it's been _brilliant_ hasn't it?"

"You're also becoming addicted to it. Addicted to a lack of fear that, like White Rabbit, can lead to your downfall."

In the midst of a nap, the sound of beeping in Gar's ear jars him away. Opening the channel, Gar whispers to keep the noise down. "Yes?"

_"Garfield, it's Raven."_

"Hey, sorry I didn't get back to you guys.. I think I triggered that Rabbit in my spine.." The world still spinning? Yup.

_"From the fall?"_

"Yeah, probably.. the swim didn't help.."

_"I'm leaving the tower awhile to go look for Light and Scarecrow. Are you fine with me stopping by to see you?"_

Ugh... headache. "If you do, it'll trigger another fear response. I don't think that's.."

_"Cover your eyes with something. If you don't see me, you can't be afraid of me."_

Hmm, smart plan.. She seems way too chipper though.. "Hey Rae, you ok? You sound a little.."

_"Dr. Light got me with some kind of gas.. Robin's calling it a "Never Fear" variation or so he's heard from Gotham. I haven't been able to feel fear since the fight earlier."_

Gar, irony seeping in, allows himself a bit of a chuckle "No kidding? Wow, you get to be fearless while I get to sit in a druggy, fearful-of-you state.. Talk about your dumb luck. But Rae, I still don't think you should come over.. not yet."

_"Why?"_

"I'm not in a condition just yet to go looking for those two. Besides, you'll be a lot more effective looking on your own until these drugs wear off."

_"Are you sure?"_

"I'm sure, I'll just be slowing you down at the moment. Are you alright though?"

_"Of course I'm alright. I can hardly tell the drugs are in me."_

Not something you'd normally ever hear her say. "Raven, I meant emotionally. Losing fear, especially for someone with the control you have on your mind.."

_"I can handle it."_ a little gruff there, huh?

"Just don't overdo it, ok? Robin'll give you the lecture about not fighting on your own, I'll just tell you to be careful, ok? You can't feel fear but you're still the wiser one of the two of us."

_".. Thanks?"_

"Out." Click. A quick exhale, that conversation could've turned out far worse. The last thing he needs is a de-feared half-demon coming to this garage and setting off World War III at his expense. She'll be pissed enough to cause some real damage but only if she can find them. For now though, the garage might not be the world's safest place.

One more tap on the earpiece, a conversation with Jake in the books, and Gar finds himself looking at a black Monte Carlo barely thirty minutes later. The garage might have promise but right now a soft bed is in order...

Landing foot first in Downtown Jump City, Raven eyes the passerbys with a glance of indifference. Perhaps taking a page out of Garfield's book, if she's going to track down these common thugs, why make it obvious who you are by wearing over-the-top obvious costumes? Of course it's not because of the drugs either that inspires her to go window shopping, not at all. Never mind the up-scale, high-end price stuff with their heels, over-priced fabrics.. Ugly, gaudy, wouldn't-be-caught-dead-in... Although not a hippie by any means, the city that once featured the Hippie movement sure could use a little bit of a change in attitude. All this plastic, pre-packaged material for people using plastic money all for plastic dreams.. If only their father was the demon of the underworld, maybe they'd see past the desire of useless apparel.

Then again, the one outfit in one store that catches her eye isn't necessarily utilitarian. A described "TITANS INSPIRED" series of clothes on mannequins stares back at a now wide-eyed Raven. The one marked "RAVEN", a black jeans and navy blue tank top (with a white raven emblem in the middle) begs to be bought in her eyes.

"Not good.. I'm starting to feel like Starfire... No... I don't need it.. I really don't... get a grip on yourself..."

...

Ten minutes and eighty Titans account-paid dollars later, Raven emerges from the store with her normal clothes in the bag. Black shoes, black jeans, and tank top raring to go, the stage is now set to blend into the environment in search of evil men. A simple spell to change her hair to black, her skin to a pale, normal hue, the empath walks down the street to a future unknown. Maybe not having fear holding you back all the time can be a good thing?

A/N2: Gar's feeling some residual effects of White Rabbit (minus the violent hallucinations), Raven's begun her fear-free pursuit of Light/Scarecrow.. and Scarecrow seems to realize Light's becoming too Never Fear-dependent, just like White Rabbit prior to the series... A lot of addictions here, huh? One's addicted to the loss of fear, one's beginning to feel the first thrills of being fearless, and the other's trying to kick the feeling of an addictive, hallucingenic drug.. Weird.

Trivia:  
- Garages do make good safehouses, don't they?  
- Raven's attire, a shoutout to the very first Never Fear draft.

Rhetorical:  
- Raven seems a lot more upset that Gar's been hurt then her friends. Not that she's not concerned but...


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: It seems the Nothing to Fear arc could be longer than I expected. I guess since I'm doing the 3rd draft of (technically) Never Fear (and that bastard alone was 88K words), then it's not gonna be over in 30K, hmm? Well, that's fine. I do consider this chapter (along with the last two) as being the middle of this arc. There shouldn't be any major, final "introductions" for the rest of the arc, it's all buildup now to the finale (of this arc). Gar's meeting with Scarecrow (you knew it was coming) should be fun... and Raven might channel Gar a little bit too.

**Nothing to Fear...**

_"I couldn't tell if I were dreaming those crazy nightmares in Kris's bed or if the drugs really were coming back for another round. Not that taking two buses and a train just to get to North Jump was fun to begin with, calling to make sure I could crash there wasn't a joy neither.. It was the realization that something was wrong in my head from the moment my eyes closed on that soft, cushy bed.. As soon as my eyes closed.. it felt like a few seconds later, I could hear something pounding on the front door. White Rabbit or Never Fear, it didn't matter which was in control, I was already rolling out of bed and moving for my coat on the chair. My shotgun was cut in two by Dr. Light so all the most threatening thing I could produce was the double-sided hunting knife I confiscated in that store robbery attempt. Snuck up to the door, stood next to it in case whoever was there had himself a firearm. I'm not gonna die that easily, no sir. The knocking continued though, enough to prompt me to look through the peephole... Bad idea._

_The wall of water hit first like the elevator blood in the Shining. The whole apartment was flooded, I was thrown out of the window as the waterfall of gushing, gray water came crashing out. Hell, I thought Niagara falls had just erupted inside but that thought was squeezed out when I landed in, you guessed it, water. About sixty feet deep worth. Couldn't breath, couldn't see where I was, just fought to get back up to the surface. What I can remember between the water splashes on my face, the city was gone and replaced with wild trees and hills in the distance. Not your average North American trees either; the kind you find in Africa. Something was up ahead of me, it looked like..._

_... like a boat. Two people standing at the front of the craft, the rear was starting to sink.. I couldn't reach them, the water current was too fast.. A mini-Titanic as it were.. But I know those faces, how could I ever forget? Her tears running down her face as he holds her close. The end is near and they know it but I can't get to them. I can't save them.. I never could save them, not then and I can't now._

_..._

_The ship's gone now, dragged under the water with it's passengers along for the ride. It's a memory I've seen in my dreams a million times since that day, it never gets any easier to accept, but this time it seems so much more different. The way the dream began, the way it didn't end at their death... almost seemed like.."_

As Garfield Logan struggles to stay above the surface of the rushing water, a fantastic burst of water ahead grabs his attention. Rearing up like a great, Greek sea-monster, Scarecrow bellows in delight, his massive form like a skyscraper above the vigilante.

_"What's wrong, little man? I thought you could swim better than this!"_

No, it's not the White Rabbit.. looks like Scarecrow's finally deciding to invade Gar's mind...

"Son of a bitch, why are you here? What the fuck do you WANT with all of us?"

Driving his gloved, needled hand into the water, the impact heavy enough to create a spray several stories tall, Scarecrow remarks _"What do I WANT? Life isn't always about what you want, little man, it's about what you need. And right now you have a serious need that needs to be addressed."_

"Such as?"

_"I'm aware that you've been making enemies with certain high-ranking individuals in Jump City. Individuals that don't understand the concept of business cooperation."_

"Hard to be friends with drug pushers and gun runners."

_"And yet here you are, trying to find a way to save Antoine Desade's little daughter from her night terrors. Have you even told them yet what you'd do after you try to beat me?"_

It'd be a lot easier to talk if he wasn't so pressed to stay afloat. "No. What he's gonna get is gonna be a surprise. I owe him a surprise after he gave me one."

_"Oh? Hehe.. what kind of surprise was that?"_

Glaring to all hell, Gar answers bluntly ".. ever go chasing rabbits?"

With a loud, cackling laugh, the water is drained, Gar's body dropped onto hard dirt as the monstrous Scarecrow continues to laugh in glee. Nice to stand on two legs rather than swim, that's for sure.

_"So you're out for REVENGE? To think one of you so-called "superheroes" would pursue us in revenge is just laughable. How far your kind have fallen."_

"No, how far have _I_ fallen." Gar corrects him, honest and blunt. "You of all people should know what drugs can do to a man. For me though, it gave me clarity."

Blowing off the idea, Scarecrow leans down to get a good look at Gar. His gold eyes the size of tractor trailers, the hooded, burlap mask hiding a ghoulish interior. _"Clarity, hmm? Is that what made you decide to take on ALL of Jump City's underworld? Like some sort of little.. bat? Or maybe like a Watchman? Dr. Light told me that's what you wanted him to call you.."_

"Jump City isn't Gotham and it damn sure isn't Hub. It deserves a better fate than having Desade and Bulletface control it in terror, especially when the citizens don't even _realize_ it."

_"And you're prepared to die to follow your childish beliefs?"_

"Who said I planned on dying?"

A brief snicker before Scarecrow leans back up into the sky. _"Confident little insect. If you only understood the big picture."_

"Then enlighten me! Hell, we got all night at this rate." Pointing up to the sky, Gar reminds him "It's not like I'm going to wake up anytime soon, is it?"

_"Understand that I've only been leaving your dreams alone for the reason that you've become rather useful. Even though you've let my enemies know of my presence, you have a long-term use that will come in handy."_

"Which is?"

_"With my arrival, the gangs of Jump City have turned their attention towards me for the moment. But unlike that degenerate Desade, Bulletface has been more welcoming than I expected. If everything goes according to plan, that scarred bastard just might wipe out the Desades for us. Without the Desades, my employer can move in and restore things to the way they were before all of this."_

"You're talking about a gangland war.. with Jump City as the battleground! Do you know how many people are going to..."

Slamming the needles into the ground, mere inches away from Gar's face, Scarecrow bellows _"I don't care how many of you little ants get crushed in this design! This city's so optimistic, so cheerful... unafraid because their darling, dashing Titans will be there to protect them from all the bad men and women. Sometimes you need to become subtle to introduce fear to a populace... My work against the Titans is merely entertainment, the real experiment is watching the city tear itself apart through fear. When Bulletface and Desade's gangs start shooting, who knows how many people will end up dead? The Titans will not engage them, the city will begin to lose hope and start to despair!"_

Gar, to his credit, doesn't flinch more than a raise of the eye, asking "And that's where I come in? Thrown into the middle of the gang violence to save the city while making room for _Gotham_'s crime bosses? Sorry but I think you have the wrong impression about me. I'm not here to be Gotham's lackey nor am I here to be one of the city's watchdogs."

_"Right, you're a watch"man" after all. Are you implying that your friends on the Titans are on the city's leash?"_

"Of course they are. Why do you think Bulletface and Desade aren't in jail?"

Pulling the needles away, Scarecrow leans in once more. _"So the little, green doggy decided he didn't want a leash anymore, hmm?"_

"You should be careful with wild dogs. Once they grab onto your ankle, it's almost impossible to shake them off."

... Scarecrow begins to pull back at last, fading into the distance. The sensation of falling starts to enter Gar's head, the dream coming to an end. _"Well then, little dog, we'll see how long you can maintain your hold. In the meantime, be careful of Dr. Light."_

The dream's ending quickly as the world around him begins to tear itself to shreds. "Why?"

_"He's becoming a wild dog himself.. Dogs without fear will one day find themselves put down."_

It's evening when Gar wakes, sitting up in bed with a palm to his face. The sun's still glowing orange but the city itself is turning to night. All the cars, street lamps, storefronts.. glowing like one giant firefly. All of it's in danger if Scarecrow's prediction of a Bulletface/Desade gang war comes true. Seven million people in the region, all a possible target as one side tries to wipe the other out.. just so _Gotham_ can move in to take their place?

Tapping his earpiece, Gar makes a call to a friend high above in space_._ "Question, it's Gar. You there?"

It takes a few moments before the voice of the masked, League-nutcase responds. _"Busy at the moment."_

"League-busy or Conspiracy-busy?"

_"A little of both. Government-level stuff you'd be safer not knowing about."_ Same monotone, same paranoia.

"I'd bet. I'm calling to ask you if it's possible for someone to invade another man's dreams by using drugs."

_"... Hmm.. Interesting suggestion. Did Scarecrow use some of his chemicals on you?"_

Funny how similar and raspy Question and Scarecrow sound? Bah, that's Q-style shit, connecting things like that. "In a way. I'm only afraid of one person rather than everything or nothing at all. We just had a conversation in my dreams though."

_"Batman would be interested in knowing about this, if he hasn't known already."_

"No, keep him out of this. The last thing Jump needs is another mask running amok."

A small, barely noticeable chuckle later, Q reasons _"True, there's enough of you running around without adult supervision as it is."_

"I'm serious, Q. How could Scarecrow invade my mind like that?"

_"I can't be sure. There's only a few people the League's aware of with mental abilities like that. If she isn't busy, I'll ask Huntress to look into a hunch of mine."_

"A _hunch_? You think you know how he's doing it?"

_"Possibly. Need to go now, work to do."_

"Yeah yeah, conspiracies and all."

_"Singular, watchman..."_

... "How did?"

_"I do my homework."_ Click.

Another night of cheese doodles, Dolby 5.1 surround sound, anime hentai, and a full jar of vasoline for Control Freak. The crummy, poster-lined walls of the apartment he resides in seems more fitting for a pack of nerds or Comic-con fans than a so-called "supervillain". Flipping the widescreen TV on, DVD menus passed by.. Just one long marathon of Love Hina and himself for the rest of the night. Who needs to commit a crime on a hot night like tonight anyway? No A/C on these kind of nights, just open windows.

..

So when the power goes out, it's a startling realization that things can get ugly in a moment's notice. The rest of the city's power appears to be on, a look both ways outside of the window gives credence to that.

"What the fuck happened? Some idiot down there must've blown a fucking fuse!"

_"Did I do that? I'm sooo sorry."_

Spinning on a heel to deal with this soon-to-be-dead, no good motha.. Oh shit! "Oh shit!"

Quick as a cat, Raven uses her power to throw him back against the window, the opening closing to just near his throat. One more inch and he might be choked to death.

"You know that part in a discussion where you talk? This isn't that part." Raven warns, danger in her voice. "So, I'll be doing the talking and when I SAY you can talk, you WILL talk, UNDERSTAND?"

An attempt at a nod serves as a go ahead. Luckily only Control Freak's head can be seen, the dark room inside hiding Raven from any would-be onlookers.

"You're fat, disgusting, and a lowly, pathetic piece of human shit! The world would be so much better off without you and if you don't answer me with something I'd like to hear, I'm going to oblige the world. Now I know you're a stain on society's ass but you might know something that's very important to said society. To your only credit, you're one of the few people in Jump City with the technical knowledge to rival people like Gizmo and Dr. Light. And considering how all you supervillains seem to know each other, it's only fitting that the three of you probably work with each other from time to time. So similar to how Gizmo and Dr. Light happened to break into our home today, hmm? Now I know you probably weren't included because you're so fat you'd never make it to the second floor without having a heartattack! But, you might know just where Dr. Light is staying at and I have to keep from killing you until you tell me. Now, this is the speaking part for you, fat ass. Where is Dr. Light?"

Window rising enough for him to speak, he pleads with her "I don't know! I haven't talked to him in weeks, I swear!"

The window psychically comes down on his throat once, the air knocked out of his lungs for a brief second. Coughing, he pleads again "I'm serious! He told me he's got a new partner, he wouldn't need me or Gizmo! Hell, I didn't even know they attacked you guys today, honest!"

"That's bullshit and you KNOW IT!" Raven shouts, eyes glowing white in rage. "You're covering for him and now I'm going to crush your windpipe for not telling me. Then I'm going to enter you mind, PULL THE GODDAMN INFORMATION I NEED FROM YOUR BRAIN, and maybe drop you out of this window. Six stories is hard to survive when you land on your HEAD!"

Against Control Freak's pleas, Raven proceeds to do exactly as she warned. The window comes down lower and lower until it lurches up once, hard...

...

It's amazing what someone will tell you when their life depends on it. As the fearless Goth walks down the street, the revelation that her emotions _may_ have gotten a little too more control in that situation begins to dawn on her. Anger would've had a laughing fit, Brave would've been demanding her to throw him out of the window as promised. Still, fearless or not, he did end up spilling where to find Dr. Light... Well, his brain did at least.

A/N2: Up, Raven channeled Gar (or maybe Rorschach?). I blame that on fear-removing drugs, anger, and disgust at having to see what he was going to do. Yes, what was doing was an omage to the first Watchman draft. He's an ugly person to look at, a huge nerd, and someone with no morality.. You telling me he wouldn't do that? Scarecrow let Gar go, it's not like Gar could really drive him away. It may have been his mind but sometimes you're not in control of your own little world.

Rhetorical:  
I wonder how bad a riot would be in Jump City?


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: I wanted something of a mindfuck chapter.. Been listening to "The Raven" (read by Christopher Walken), lines of Rorschach read by Alan Moore, and the "Halloween" theme song for like two hours.. The reveal isn't very direct but it's a bit subtle. Connect the dots because I'm not going to fire this out until probably near the end.. The only question is: Why isn't he there?

**Nothing to Fear...**

_"It took the entire next day and the whole night to figure out what to do next. All I knew was it was June 13th, 2007. My friends in the Tower were put the shitty situation of needing to be physically and mentally alert at a moment's notice but without getting a good night's sleep. Another friend of mine, a demonic psychic with enough power to level the city, was somewhere in said city and, according to Robin, hell-bent on getting to Dr. Light and Scarecrow. Add to that situation the idea that Dr. Light and Scarecrow were helping turn the Bulletface Gang and the Desades into a gang war that probably would result in hundreds of people being killed! Despite the threat Scarecrow posed at that moment, the fact is he wasn't the only person that could change the outcome of the predicted future. It's the realization that kept me at Kris's house for all of the 12th and the early morning of the 13th. There was no choice.. I had to talk to Desade again, face to face, and get him to help me help the whole city."_

Just because someone exists without fear doesn't mean they suddenly become some raging, scary monster. A lack of fear doesn't mean you stop doing the things you enjoy.. you just don't care that you've been doing it for an hour longer than usual or a little extra of how much more you'd do of it. Five cups of tea might be a good proof of that but _it's so good.._ A nice, quiet little place like this has it's charm. Even the misspelled name out front, with it's "E" replaced with an "A", A soft, Spanish guitar playing on the shop's speakers, cedar smell all about from the hardwood floors.. Only three or four people not counting the cashier... Heaven for a person who believes she won't be seeing Heaven in the future.

The information in her head, gathered from more than just one source after yesterday's "visit" to Mumbo's home, all points to the same place. All to the same person, maybe even both of them.. Earl Grey and lemon just can't remove the image in her mind of Dr. Light... gassing Gar like that...What did he see? What did.. what did she _become_ in his eyes? Just a reaction to the fear gas but for someone who ran from eye socket-bleeding rabbits and flaming skeletons, it can do some serious damage to his mind...

Her attention is pulled over towards the counter as a cup falls onto the floor, breaking into a million pieces. The cashier, unaware of the cause, curses her luck as she moves for the broken object.

_"Gotta keep calm... Save it for Dr. Light... Don't need to go around breaking coffee cups because that... No, don't start.."_

Sighing, Raven stands up, stretching a bit. Maybe that extra hour wasn't really necessary, huh?

_"Desade wasn't in Jump City, or so the guy on the phone told me. I didn't care for that son of a bitch one way or the other but this was more important than just our rivalry. Instead I was directed to visit Rose at Pier 39, a little shopping center along the north end of Jump City. Another flight back to the city itself.. flying isn't a bad way to travel but the daily flight to and from North Jump to Jump City and/or the Tower was becoming a heavy workout. Then again, things like these shouldn't be kept waiting due to traffic and transit schedules._

_I found her inside one of the shops, playing billiards with a man I didn't know. Judging from the sour look on his face, and the faces of the guys around him, Rose Desade was putting them in the bitch with each shot. She'd talk while she'd shoot, as if pool were nothing at all. Boom, one stripe would go down.. Then another... Bank off the cushion, into a third stripe to sink her third ball in three shots. Just casually wave off the shot, play with a strand of her hair but a little bit, grin and fire off the next round. This one had talent... Then again, hustling ran in their family's blood."_

No more challengers, Rose eyes up any would-be competition. Not a man left with the nerve to challenge this dark, red-eyed, black-haired pool shark. "Well, who's gonna try next? I got twenty that says there ain't a _man_ in here who can beat me."

"I'll take that bet."

Turning with the stick in hand, Rose's smile grows from predatory to pleasantly surprised. "Well well, you finally made it. Good, I was getting bored with these _children_."

_"I tossed my coat onto the hanger, she cracked her knuckles in preparation. This was entirely different than when I met her in the hospital... Maybe the effects of Scarecrow's nightmares? Maybe she was just in a better mood? Either way, the price was set and the terms laid out. Twenty dollars for the winner between two competitive people. If only I played pool more back at the Tower..."_

Hands in the pockets of her jeans, Raven moves silently across the street. The cars are all held by red lights, no one around her finds her out of place. Then again, magic has a way of changing your face normal white and your hair a darker shade of purple. Just another young, college-age woman in the city of Jump. True but not many college-aged women are walking down a driveway wedged between two apartment buildings. Past the dumpsters and trash bags, broken pallets and fencing material.. Towards the concrete bunker with the door marked "NO TRESPASSING: JUMP CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY". The lock won't be a problem, it's metal shape bending to the will of the psychic. Nothing to keep Light and Scarecrow safe from their fate... The only thing that stops her is the persistent idea that she should contact the Titans or at least Garfield.. They should _know_ what's about to happen... But if they do, they might try and stop her from they _think_ she'll do... And given her current mindset... Yup, gotta go it solo. Protect the city and all that.. Protect them by breaking their necks more like it.

Down into the depths of the beast. A metal staircase, lights above but no power to illuminate the way, dust all over the place.. your average service tunnel. For some of Jump City's low-life criminals, they better hope this tunnel leads to a more _bright_ outcome. If everything works out, she _should_ come to the entranceway to what _used_ to be a subway platform. Abandoned over the years by the transit authority, it would make a perfect hiding place for someone who doesn't want eyes watching them from on high.

Past one final door, she reaches out with her mind to examine the area. Dark, that's for sure... A burnt-out series of lights on the ceiling, some tables arranged throughout the platform. A makeshift lab or something far, far worse?

_"Hello there."_

The voice.. that raspy, cold... calculating voice.. Where did it come from? Shit, too many places to echo in this station!

_"Can you see me?"_

"It's pitch black in here and you're asking if I can _see_ you.. Real smart..."

_"I see you though. You look much different than you normally do but it's still you."_

Scarecrow's haunting voice seems to come from one direction and then another. He's everywhere and yet...

_"Dr. Light isn't here right now. I know you two have some history; he's quite obsessed with you my dear."_

"Don't call me that. And as far as your little lackey, I'll just wait for him to get back. In the meantime, we have some business to attend to."

A brief, coarse cackle of laughter. _"Perhaps so. Are you referring to your nightmares as of late? Your green friend was curious about them as well when I spoke to him in his dreams just the other night."_

"Yeah, I'm talking about those fucking dreams."

_"They were delightful, weren't they? I wasn't lying when I said they were reflections of your own fears."_

"You might be a twisted, sick individual, Scarecrow, but when did you create a gas capable of affecting dreams?"

_"... gas?"_

That didn't sound good. Especially as the East-bound tunnel becomes aglow with an orange haze. Looking over the platform, down the track, the dark shape of a man with a wide hat sticks out against the glow.

"Good, you're finally done hiding." Raven remarks, jumping down onto the track. Nothing to fear, she starts to step towards the figure with purpose.

_"A human being without fear will eventually ruin everything he holds dear. His life, his possessions, his very mind will turn to ash in time. But you're not a human being, are you? You're something far more sinister..."_

Not that much farther from him but still the figure yields no physical detail. "You got that right."

_"A human may ruin his entire life... but a monster like you might destroy her entire city... her country.. the Earth perhaps?"_

Grabbing the villain by the throat, Raven tells him straight from the heart "I'll settle for killing you first."

...

But the black mass in her hands crumbles before her, collapsing into a pile of straw. Only one way to explain it... "He was playing me!"

A roar from behind her brings her attention back to Scarecrow. His stick comes across her face, her vision turning to haze as she stumbles onto the cold, metal rails.

_"We must master our fears if we are to be saved from them."_ Between the sound of needles sifting back and forth in his gloved hand, the grim look of a burlap smile crosses his mouth. _"Now we can't have you running around without fear, now can we?"_

Where is he? Shit, that stick really fucking hurt! Ok... darkness... sound to the left... click, click, click.. shuffling like... needles?

LEFT!... The last second roll to the right might've saved her life. Then again, as her sight returns, the visage of Scarecrow does not.. "The hell..?"

Down towards the station again, Scarecrow's body stands tall once again. Using the walking stick for balance, he beckons her with his gloved hand once again. "How did he... he was just here..."

_"Hard to concentrate in this tunnel. No light to see by, no sound to hone in on, and certainly no way to tell if I'm real or not."_ Scarecrow suggests, playing off a little psychological warfare. Fear she may not feel but an angry person is one who doesn't think too clearly. _"It's a shame Light couldn't be here to see this. Dr. Light or even your dear, former Titan "Beast Boy"."_

Back to her feet, rubbing the pain from her cheek, Raven demands at the vision before her. "If you're going to try killing me, try doing it to my face. Your little mind games won't work down here anymore."

_"Oh?"_

Focus on the soul, time to burn this tunnel to the ground.. "Azarath..."

Back at the Pier, another game of pool is interrupted by a call from Jinx. Excusing himself for a moment, Gar takes the call long enough to hear the news. Apparently Control Freak and Mumbo were scared enough to tell the Titans what they told Raven... And there's a very good chance said-empath is fighting the good fight at this very moment. He'll have to make his money back another time, this could turn out worse than anyone could imagine. What would happen if she were to attack them _both_.. _alone_..?

What was supposed to be a tunnel filled with psychic energy has suddenly, and rather violently, turned into one full of red flames. No gas lines had been severed.. but as soon as she unleashed the black energy, the whole tunnel seemed to fall right into the Inferno. In fact, the only two things that haven't been reduced to a flaming hell are the two people standing barely thirty feet apart. Raven, her hair blowing in the vortex of wind created by the flames, stares with malice as Scarecrow's lifeless, tiny orbs gaze back. His own coat blows about his body, the stick holding him up, keeping his body firm against the demon's power.

_"What happened? Shouldn't I be torn into a million pieces?"_ the grim maul of the Scarecrow's mouth speaks. _"Has your loss of fear influenced your demonic powers I wonder?"_

"It's an illusion." Raven coldly replies, fists balling up in anger. "I think I'm starting to understand how you've been able to do all of this. This isn't some fear gas you've created, is it?"

A brief chuckle at first, she's getting the message. _"Outside of the fear-removing agents inside Light's blood and your own, no. I haven't used any serious form of my gasses since I've arrived. I haven't needed them as much as I did in Gotham. You see..."_ removing his hat, the worm-filled, decaying face of the Scarecrow bellows with pride _"... as I've learned from another good doctor.. sometimes in order to inspire fear, you have to go right to the source. The mind is such a fascinating organ and yet has such a potential for terror and fear. Allow me to demonstrate!"_

"Bitch." The voice of Arthur Light speaks behind her, the flames abating but a moment as Light comes into her view. Raising her hand, she blasts him away with a burst of dark energy. Nothing... only the appearance of more and more Dr. Lights. They surround her from all directions, even between her and the Scarecrow-version of her father. And unlike her own energy attacks, his energy beams cause very real sensations of pain. Shields won't protect her for long as a combined force of twenty Light's overpowers her energies. Fearless or not, she's still bound by her own power... unless..

_"Heheeh... What are you waiting for? You're capable of so much more than THAT!"_ he taunts her, the towering figure idly playing with it's clawed hands. As the Lights continue their attack, her own attempts at defense seem rather small compared to her potential. _"All that dark energy and even without fear, you still restrain yourself. Do you think I'll cease this if you refuse to fight?"_

Teeth gnashing hard, she keeps the shield up for as long as possible. It's bad enough hearing a score's worth of Light's snickering, laughing at you.. It's another when the man behind this is imitating the very bane of your existence.

_"Hmm.. perhaps this will move you along..."_

Looking forward, the sight of her father turns into the image of none other than Gar himself. Standing behind the Lights, proud, the predator's smile seems eerily fitting. _"If you don't resist, your dear friend won't survive the next night he sleeps. Release your rage or release your friend to an eternity of torment."_

Just your average, sunny day in Jump City. The traffic moves along, the residents shop and move about their jobs like good little Americans. Blue skies, chirping birds.. a brisk, pleasant June day...

Shattered by the loud sound of a burst of white. Like a bubble expanding, the white orb of death reduces all non-living matter within three blocks into a large, smoking crater. The survivors, stunned, sit only in the dirt and rubble, wondering just what the hell just happened.. A man with a trench coat is among that list.

"Raven..."

Rising out of the mess, the goth approaches the edge of the hole. The sight of Gar isn't too far away... Smartly the boy covers his eyes with his hand, the fear gas still inside his body.

"Rae, you ok?"

_"Gar.. what are you doing here?"_

"I heard you found out where Light was. I was coming to help you."

_"I doubt you'd be able to right now. Until you fix your fear, you're helpless around me."_

"For now you're right. Did you find them?"

_"I think I found how Scarecrow's been getting to all of us. I don't think I fought him but a projection of him. Either way, he just upped the ante."_

"God damn..."

_"Yeah, you can say that. Light wasn't there.. Scarecrow wouldn't say where he was."_

"Back to square one?"

_"Not yet. Scarecrow's aware that if I fight him.. the real him.. he's fucked. Light's fucked too.. Whatever he's planning, he doesn't want me to get to him."_

"I know what he's _really_ after.. and it's not you guys. You're just a pet project to him, he's really after the city itself."

_"What good would that do? What's he gonna do, gas the whole city?"_

"He won't need gas to do what he wants to do. Shit, I wish I could open my eyes."

Did she just laugh a little bit? _"It's a good thing. You'd never believe what I'm wearing right now."_

"What?" Wait... did she just..

... A hug? Raven... hugging... isn't this where sirens go off? _"I'll show you when this is all done. You'll get a good laugh out of it. In the meantime, don't worry.. I'll make sure Light and Scarecrow pay for what they've done to us."_

... Yup, this is definitely weird... Raven almost sounds... no no no...probably just the drugs...

A/N2: Scarecrow.. was he there or wasn't he? Was it just a mindfuck or was it really him? More importantly, where the hell was Doctor Light? Out causing trouble perhaps? Out looking for something?... Red X might know... Raven's been acting a little funny since the gassing, huh? Give a green guy a break, she only ever hugged him once in his whole life.

Trivia:  
- "Inferno" meaning Dante's Inferno from Dante's Divine Comedy.  
- Pier 39 is an actual shopping area in San Fran.

Rhetorical:  
Even though everything feels familiar, is it really? Even though everything seems like the 1-2nd drafts, is it going to end the same? Do you realize we're not even 1/3rd of the way done this entire saga?


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: I wasn't going to write... but the urge hit me (and this chapter had to be re-written to get the right flow). When you're in the mood, writing 1600 words can be done in less than 30 minutes... when you're not in the mood, it can take days. This chapter's a bit intriguing, for me especially how it rolled out. Long-time readers will see the part with Light and (no pun) lightbulbs will go off in their head. It's a bit introspective but peoples questions will be answered (or some of them).

-

**Nothing to Fear...**

_"I couldn't take it anymore; the situation was starting to get to me. Since Raven ended up leveling part of Downtown, the city was in an uproar about the whole situation. Not like they even KNEW Scarecrow was behind everything. They didn't know he was ruining the Titans' sleep each night, that he was provoking a major gang war, and worst of all indirectly responsible for unleashing a dangerously unafraid psychic into their midst! Every newscast, it was "the Titans have gone too far" or "What could have provoked this completely careless act of property destruction?". All the detractors, and we have them, came out of the woodwork to proclaim us "dangerous" and a "threat" to the very safety of Jump City and it's people. Hell, the only reason they didn't make Raven leave Jump City right then and there was because, at the time, she couldn't give a damn WHAT they said... I needed to get away, clear my head, and figure this out. So, two days after Raven leveled that subway platform and all around it, I decided to pay a visit to an old friend of mine..._

_Question wasn't too thrilled that I ruined his research but I didn't give a rat's ass about it. He spent nearly his whole, waking life chasing links to things I could only dream about, the least he could do was spare me a few minutes. And certainly NOT at his apartment. After six months of sleeping on that couch of his and dealing with that horrible smell in the living room, one that put my old room to shame, I didn't want to suffer through that again. He offered to go for a drive, just like our first encounter and dozens like it after my coming to Hub back in January. The ever-changing scenery, he once told me, was good for getting your mind off of a problem... or at least a little bit useful."_

_"The city's afraid of you" Question reminded me, just staring ahead at traffic. Six months ago that would've confused me but I wasn't going to be fooled by that blank face. He had a real face under it, one fit for a 1940's Noir story or the rough, angular face of a 1920's boxer. The only thing I didn't know if his face ever changed or stayed as stone-solid as his protective mask._

_"They're afraid of the Titans, not me." I reminded him. I hadn't been a Titan since.._

_"Technically you're still considered a member. You resigned, you weren't fired." Right through you like a knife in butter. He knew how to press your buttons, remind you that he wouldn't be fooled with your normal bullshit._

_So I wanted to remind him of something as well. "Huntress resigned, remember?"_

_"How could I forget?" The single, most important person in his life.. yeah, how could he forget her?_

_"I didn't ask to teleport here just to discuss our public image." Back to business, it's what Q and I did best. "Scarecrow's been fucking with our heads out there and no one knows how."_

_"Not to mention drugged up Dr. Light and set off a powder keg with one of your dearest friends."_

_I could practically smell the insinuation in that remark, one of my eyebrows shot up in reply. "One of my "dearest friends"? Raven's a friend, yeah, but I wouldn't go that far."_

_"Of course not, that wouldn't be prudent." Mocking me, he loved doing that. "With her on the loose, the Titans will have something else to worry about."_

_"It could lead to the Titans looking harder for Scarecrow or lead them away from him. He's using us like pawns... only thing is we don't know where he's hiding."_

_"Hmm... I would have figured your Robin would've apprehended him by now." It wasn't exactly a secret Question had his doubts about Batman's decision to raise young masks for the cause. Another casualty in an otherwise meaningless profession._

_"They're exhausted. The city's masks have been gradually coming back from France since the Brotherhood was removed."_

_"Still bitter about their high court ruling?" It was an honest question, one that he figured was bothering me._

_..._

_"I'm not as angry as I was back in March. I'm still not happy with it but we should've been more careful than going into France without permission." The biggest blunder in the Titans history all a result of some small, unnoticed loophole in the French Government. Just like the US military, superheroes weren't allowed to operate in France without their exclusive say-so (no matter what). It was a hard thing to stomach after working so hard, and nearly dying how many times, to just see all of our enemies RELEASED on a loophole... "It's almost more ironic to me now than actually upsetting. We're still so young..."_

_"The benefit of being young: you have time to correct your mistakes before you grow too old to regret them."_

_Ok, that was actually good coming from him. "That was deep. You wouldn't happen to have some of those yourself, do you?"_

_"That's the question, isn't it?"_

_"Giving me the run-a-round, huh? Fine, I can deal with that. So, how do you think Scarecrow's doing this? Some type of gas?"_

_He never was too patient at a red light, especially behind the rear of an SUV with all that pollution coming out of the tailpipe. Those gloved fingers of his just kept on tapping as the light inched closer to green. "If what your friends told you is correct, I don't think it will be. While it's true there's been use of fear-giving and fear-removing gases, none of these seem to have affected your dreams. The dreams you've told me about all seem to be sentient, they're not just pre-coded drugs."_

_"So he's psychic?"_

_Finally, the light turned green for him. It was unnerving hearing him even a little bit antsy over something as small as a green light. "Huntress decided to help you with this. She used some of her contacts to get information regarding a certain deceased criminal with similar abilities. Tell me, have you ever heard of a man named John Dee?"_

_How many of that names could there be in the world? I decided not to ask THAT, Q might've had an answer set up. Still, he was on to something. "Kidding right? Of course not, that's like asking ever heard of "Steve Smith"."_

_"John Dee, a.k.a. "Doctor Destiny", a former inmate at Stryker's Island in Metropolis. During a prison riot, he used an ESP machine that granted him considerable telepathic abilities. He used these abilities to enter people's minds, specifically in dreams, and, in one case, lead to their murder. He was eventually defeated by the Justice League and sent back to Stryker's."_

_"Sounds like what Scarecrow's been doing." The similarity was there, minus the (thankfully) murder part._

_"Word got around the criminal circles about what he did. Then again, he was in a catatonic state for nearly a year from the psychic backlash. Around this time, Scarecrow was rumored to be "missing" from Gotham City..."_

_"Scarecrow visits Doc Destiny and convinces him to teach him how to do the same?"_

_"Possibly. There were rumors that Scarecrow was to be recruited into the Legion of Doom prior to Darkseid's revival. In all likelihood, if John Dee was indeed involved with the group, it's possible he might have suggested Doctor Crane for a role in the group."_

_"Is Doctor Destiny still alive?"_

_"He was reported killed during the blast that destroyed the Legion's spacecraft. Thus he's the only one other than Scarecrow who can be certain about all of this."_

_That was an interesting note to hear. Scarecrow having learned ESP, able to invade people's minds WITHOUT fear drugs, and capable of murder in those dreams. Robin would need to know this..._

_"So how do we stop it then?"_

_Another red light, that time he turned to me. "According to Batman, he hummed a song in his head over and over to keep his mind of John Dee. He was awake at the time however so staying awake will help you."_

_"He's causing the Titans some real headaches, Q. I think he's only leaving me alone because of the gang war he wants to start. Thinks I'll be useful or something."_

_"The Desades Drug Cartel and the Bulletface Arms Cartel would turn Jump City into a very dangerous battlefield. Gotham City would be wise to keep such a thing from happening."_

_"Hard to move into a city ripping itself apart... How would they keep the heat off themselves?"_

_No answer to that one, the light turned green and off he went.. mind and car._

_"Q," I started once more "tell me something. It's been bugging me, about what Raven said..."_

_"Hmm?"_

_"She couldn't actually SEE Scarecrow when she tried to fight him... and yet it was real to her. Well, years back, Robin had the same thing with a fear gas on one of Slade's masks. Everything felt real but it wasn't."_

_"Suggesting it's the same thing?"_

_"Not really. I've just been thinking about it all though... We've seen his goons, we've seen Doctor Light, we've SEEN him in our dreams and sometimes our mind THINKS we see him in person... But we've never REALLY seen him. Robin hasn't found him, the Desades and Bulletface haven't tracked him down either.. Hell, even RAVEN can't find him and she's a damn psychic!"_

_"You're suggesting he isn't in Jump City?"_

_"What if it's possible? What if he's nowhere even NEAR us?"_

Back in Jump City, in the midst of an abandoned warehouse on the waterfront, Red X is looking around, walking towards the center of the room. The appointed time and locations.. where is the boss? Bad enough the room seems hazy from the dirty glass above but the emptiness has a certain ominous feeling to it.

"Hello?"

Stepping out from behind a pylon, palm raised at Red X in warning, Dr. Light's eyes lock on the black/red criminal with malice. "Red X... didn't think you of all people would wander in here. Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same, lightbulb." Light's demeaning tone deserves some payback. "Where's your boss at? I have what he paid me for."

Red X isn't raising his hand to counter, maybe this isn't as bad as Light thinks. Doesn't mean he'll lower his guard though. "Scarecrow isn't here right now, he's busy at the moment. You can give whatever he paid you for to me and I'll deliver it."

"And trust you? I don't think so."

Second palm up, the projectors warming up under the silk sleeves of his suit. "Wasn't a question, _boy_. I'm not in the mood for a fight right now so leave it and be on your way like a good little _kid_."

"I'm not in the mood to deal with old fucks in cheap, white suits... But do you know what Scarecrow even ordered?"

"No, shine a little wisdom on me."

... A modulated sigh echoes through X's mouthpiece before reaching into a pocket on his belt. Light watches him like a hawk, prepared to attack at a moment's notice... The twitch in his eye seems a bit more... nervous than usual.

"Fifty thousand when I told him what Bulletface was up to." Producing two vials of red substances, X finishes "Fifty thousand more when I give these to him."

Glare giving way to a gasp, Light asks in awe "Is.. is that?"

"Xenothium, refined and pure up to ninety-nine percent. Doctor Chang won't be too pleased to find it missing."

This energy source, once capable of blowing the Titans Tower apart with a single shot, could make an energy suit VERY powerful..

"So, you giving me the money or is Scarecrow going to make me wait forever?"

_"After my conversation in Hub with The Question, and returning to the Tower to deliver the news to Robin, I wasn't sure what to do next. I never got any serious information out of Rose Desade days before... She didn't seem as nervous as the other Titans were and for some reason unsettled me. She was more interested in hustling pool than the nightmares her asshole father claimed she was having..._

_I spent two long nights sleeping on the dust-ridden couch at the garage by the bay, I wasn't in any mood to make it a third. Jump City hadn't collapsed yet, the city was still safe, the gangs weren't at war, and Scarecrow wasn't running around like a zombie yet. One last night to relax, clear my head for the day ahead. Kristine offered stir fry at her house for the evening and I wasn't going to pass up a hot meal for a salad wrap at a gas station..._

"I don't know why you had me join you? You fly a lot faster than I can run."

The call from the rooftops sounds more labored, out of breath than the sage flying in the air above her. Then again, Raven doesn't seem to outwardly care too much. "We need to find Scarecrow and Light, _now_. You'll be helpful in finding them."

Pausing at the end of one particularly long gap, Jinx sarcastically asks "What am I a compass or something?"

Psychically helping the witch over the gap, Raven turns back and reminds her "You're a former criminal who knows almost every major player in town."

"Yeah and so does Robin." Jinx reminds. "And Cyborg knows all the techies, whether or not he cares to announce that."

"If you were a fearless coward with a lightbulb for a hat, partnered with a man who can invade our dreams, where would _you_ hide then?" Raven demands. Jinx's attitude isn't helping keep her own irritation down.

"Somewhere where someone couldn't find you. Probably underground like we did with the HIVE HQ." Jinx retorts.

"Well we need to find them before something worse happens out there like the other day. Next time it could be an entire section of the city instead of just three blocks." Raven reminds, turning back towards the city. A good, long burst of flight should help cool down the anger...

"Have you heard from Gar since then?"

That ain't gonna help the anger one bit. "He's been silent since then. I think he's still afraid of my image."

"You're not worried about that?" Not the best question to a woman without fear but it needs to be said.

"At the moment, no. He'll call us when he can. In the meantime, we need to find these two fucks before I rip someone's god damn head off..."

Eyebrow raised, Jinx points out the obvious "You got a hell of a language there, Raven. Fear-gas-a-little-much?"

Looking back at the pink-haired witch, Raven answers "Blame it on Gar, I learned most of it from him anyway." How many times did he yell it after being thrown through portals and windows? Too many to count...

"He's special, ain't he?" Jinx suggests, stepping up next to her friend. The city looks so nice at night but the darkness only helps to hide it's true ugliness. Like a bruise in the night, it'll still be there in the morning.

"He's reckless." Raven points out, not liking the direction of this conversation. "Besides, when did you start thinking like that about him?"

"When he was there for me that one night... after that nightmare. We didn't see him for six months and he suddenly shows up to help calm me down. He's not so gangly anymore, is he?"

Taking off in flight, Raven doesn't dignify that with an answer. There's a time and place for things like that and now isn't the time.

A/N2: Scarecrow learning from Doctor Destiny? Dr. Light with Xenothium? ... Love-Squares anyone? I DARE raise the point that it's ENTIRELY possible that Scarecrow isn't even in Jump City. Have you ever SEEN him there? You've HEARD him, you've felt the effects, but you've never actually READ of him being there.. Remember when people said "don't keep writing dreams in italics because it takes away from the horror?".. hehe... Give the reader what they NEED, not what they WANT. No wonder it's hard to type lately (on top of the fact I've done Never Fear 3 times now), a perceived lack of faith that you won't get what you need.

Trivia:  
- I'm bending the Scarecrow/Destiny link here a bit (one that never existed).. Interesting note that Scarecrow was considered for the JLU version of the Legion but due to copyrights he couldn't be there. I like giving little literary reasons instead of bullshit copyrights.  
- "Underground like the HIVE HQ"... certainly not under any record stores, that's for sure.

Rhetorical: Right now, I feel like the guy from Smoking Aces.. the guy that does the card tricks. "I show you what I want you to see. But seeing behind this motherfucker (playing card)... is the difference between me and you."


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I'm gonna be SO FUCKING HAPPY when this arc comes to an end (which should be the next chapter). It's a story I've done before, _twice_, and Arc 3 (ESPECIALLY the mini-arc between 3 and 4) are demanding (in my head) to be written. Real soon.. in the meantime, this arc is coming to a close. Now, BEFORE EVERYONE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE PLOT EVENTS, LISTEN UP! This is an ARC, NOT a whole STORY. There are REASONS for everything (especially what you're about to read in the first paragraph). Look at this whole zeigeist from the outside, not with a microscope, and you'll save yourself my fist through your screen because of questions you'd understand if you didn't complain about them. This is chess, not checkers.

-

**Nothing to Fear...**

_"In the early morning hours of June 18th, I got some very bad news. Not from the Titans, mind you.. not from Raven even... I got it inside my head from Doctor Crane himself."_

"Crane.." Gar announces, looking up at the towering figure with the golden eyes. The hurricane seems to rage around them, lightning bursting through the clouds. Not a concern for the Master of Fear however.

_"I would have liked to continue the experiment until it's conclusion but circumstances have forced an end to this trial."_ Nevermind the giant needles skimming across the sand next to Gar's body, the announcement comes as a surprise to the crimefighter's ear.

"An end? What, you decided to finally kill me or something?"

_"Bwahaha, of course not little insect!"_ Scarecrow bellows with delight. _"If anything, I'd say you'd make an excellent animal study. Unfortunately, I've been asked to come home. It seems a certain little bat has begun to suspect my whereabouts. He won't be too thrilled to find me in your Titans' jurisdiction."_

"So that's it? You're leaving over a _border_ dispute? That doesn't sound like you at all." Although why Gar's pressing Scarecrow like this seems ludicrous, he continues further. "Tell me why you're _really_ leaving?"

Moving in close, giant skull merely inches from Gar's speck of a head. _"Your animal instincts show great promise."_

"Shrink down to my size and you'll see just how violent they can be if you don't answer the question."

_"The answer is rather simple. I warned you that Doctor Light was growing beyond my control."_

Dr. Light made sense in this situation. "Just how bad?"

_"Bad enough where he didn't mind stealing some Xenothium I ordered from one of your local criminals. A relatively small amount, a couple hundred grams of the substance.. At the very much, it should only destroy about twenty city blocks."_

"He _stole_ it from you? Now THAT I find hard to believe." Stalwart as he might try to be, his hand is shaking just a small bit.. Robin, Red X, Dr. Chang.. look what they did with only "a small amount" of that stuff...

_"Hard as it may be for your inferior mind to conceive but that junkie decided to go rogue as it were."_

"Then why don't you find him? You did it with me."

_"He's quite the astute scientist, I must give the bastard his due. Somehow he has found a way to keep me out of his head, I can't get past his thoughts. The bastard even had the gall to make copies of the fear gases I gave him."_

"It serves you right." Gar points out. It was bad enough having Scarecrow run amok.. but a fearless Dr. Light with fear gases and Xenothium at his disposal? "With luck he'll use that horrible shit on you, goddamn monster."

Claws digging into the ground around Gar, trapped like a mouse in a cage, Scarecrow roars through the void _"You worthless little bug! NO ONE uses Jonathan Crane like this, NO ONE! Dr. Light, your friends, this whole CITY will be brought to it's knees if you don't stop him!"_

"So why are you asking me? What the fuck do you expect ME to do about it? You're the one who gave me the fear-removing gas, probably ordered the drugs so he could STEAL them, and probably gonna make him use it to burn the city to the ground! If anyone should put an end to him, IT'S YOU!"

_"Watch your tongue, boy! Just because you can stop him doesn't mean you can.."_

"What? Talk back to you like this? Oh, fuck you I'm going to! You've been terrorizing my friends, turned Light into a dangerous maniac, AND kept me from what's REALLY important like shutting down the Desades and Bulletface Gang! I HOPE Light finds you before you sneak back to Gotham! Maybe you and Dr. Destiny can..."

_"How did you...?"_

"That's the question, isn't it?"

...

_"Clever little rat.."_

The claws above his head retracting, Gar offers a simple suggestion "I don't give a shit about your life, Crane.. But if Light _does_ go loco on Jump City, the Titans are going to intervene. People will get hurt, some might even get killed.. I need to know where to find him if we're going to put an end to his rampage. You want your drugs back, I want my city back, and damn it, my friends want their regular sleep back! Throw me a goddamn bone!"

Pulling back a bit, Scarecrow fixes the needles to his glove again before leaning back in, suggestively stating _"If you were a crazed, revenge-bent genius with a score to settle and all the courage in the world, who would you be looking for?"_

A soft knock on the door, the mayor looks up from her desk at the distraction. Her secretary, a frightened-looking sort peeks in.

"Yes?"

"Ma'am.. you... you have company..." shaking with each word, only her head looks past the wooden door.

"You ok? You look.."

Thrown into the room and onto the floor, Light strolls in after her. Behind him rush in the HIVE members, some with cameras while the others barricade the door.

White suit pressed and looking sharp, Light cocks his head to the side to announce "Hello ma'am, how are you? Oh please, DON'T get up on MY accord!" Raising his fists, the energy pads serve as ample warning. "Now, if you excuse me, we're going to set this town aglow."

In coffee shops, diners, bars, schools, hospitals.. the Tower itself.. the city's emergency broadcast signal kicks on, switching every feed over to the lone transmission. Confusion running rampant as dozens of TV shows are interrupted, the citizens of Jump City feel a very cold shiver run up their spine. What manner of disaster is about to befall this time?

So it's an even greater sense of confusion when Doctor Arthur Light's face appears on screen, the mayor held hostage behind him. Leaning on the desk, inspecting his fingers without a care in the world, he begins his speech.

_"In case you half-witted, low-IQ morons out there didn't realize what's happening, I have taken over your television. Now, you already know our beloved mayor.. ZOOM IN YOU IDIOT!" _The order being directed at the cameraman is enough to direct the attention to the scared, quivering face of the city's mayor. _"In case you haven't figured out what's going on, allow me to enlighten you cattle out there. Jump City has been verrrrry cruel to our kind for far too long..."_

...

Across the Jump City Bay, the Titans get the message before the broadcast can wrap up. Elsewhere in North Jump, a man finishes his coffee before taking to the skies as an eagle.

...

_"... while those kids have been running around the city unchecked, honest men of society like myself are routinely trampled on! Seriously, how much damage, in property ALONE, have those kids caused while trying, wrongly I might add, to put us in chains? It's enough to darken even MY bright smile..."_ A glare thrown at someone off screen indicates the bad joke might be much worse than he expected. _"My apologies, I'm getting a bit off topic. You're probably wondering what I want? Of course you sheep do, you don't think beyond what your masters tell you to think! Here's a little wisdom for all of you, ssh.. come in close so I can whisper it to you."_ Camera growing closer, right next to Light's mouth so he can speak softer. _"We don't need to live in fear anymore. The Titans, the police... none of them can chain you down anymore. And to demonstrate, I'm sure the Titans.. and that miserable "Watchman".. are on their way right now. We'll be airing the entire battle LIVE.. So stick around, put your feet up, and enjoy the death of that goth bitch. The dawn of a bright, new future is coming, I guarantee it!"_

_"Beast Boy."_ Robin just couldn't get the name out of his head, could he? _"I don't know what the hell he's up to but I hope you'll be there to back us up."_

"I'm coming Scarecrow might be leaving the city soon but he left his mess behind for us to clean up."

_"Wait, what? Scarecrow's leaving... When did...?"_

"No time to talk about that just yet. Be careful when you attack Light, ok? He's got Xenothium and fear gases at his disposal." Almost there, gotta come in low and fast to keep Light from seeing him.

_"Ok, I hear you. Raven's on her way and I bet she'll be angry as.."_

"She's gonna be pissed off to all hell." Gar reminds, not caring about cursing. "Let's hope she doesn't bring the roof down onto the mayor."

Foot tapping on the roof of the city's hall, Light keeps his eyes firmly locked on the Titan Tower. "How does it feel? To be without a home? Like a complete unknown... Like a rolling stone..."

"Uh.. what?" Gizmo asks, eyeing the mastermind of this plan with confused eyes.

"Nothing, it's before your generation." Light replies, turning towards the rest of the group. The same crew as the attack on the Tower, all ready for a brawl with their rival metahumans. Unlike last time though, none of them seem afraid of looking at Light. "Everything ready to go? I'd hate to use some of these toxins to get your asses moving."

"Yeah, all's ready." Mammoth growls out, keeping a watchful eye for any news or police helicopters.

"So, you think this is _really_ gonna work? You're cutting off our getaways by keeping us up here." Gizmo warns, looking around the area. "Especially when those pitsniffers get here."

"I'm not worried." Light answers casually, foot still tapping to the beat in his head.

Eyes narrowing to a glare, Gizmo remarks "Gassed up junkie..."

Hand snatched from his side, Light aims a palm projector straight into Gizmo's face. A mere two inches from the device, the bald techie recoils in fright at the display. "Better to be a junkie and shining than a fool sleeping in a dark box, hmm?" Looking to See-More, Light asks "Any sign of them?"

Telescopic view giving way to a variety of other sights, See-More gives his report "I don't see them coming from air. They must be taking their car of their's. No sign of the goth either..."

"She'll be here. If she doesn't, I'll turn this city into a crater even if the Titans _do_ show up." Fist returning from Gizmo's face, flexing into a ball and back, the aging physicist feels the tension growing. Not that it's bringing any _fear_ to his mind but the idea that the city's about to be rocked by a colossal battle is enough to impress even him. Six months ago he couldn't find a place to sleep other than a trash can... like a rolling stone, huh?

Across town, a man and his bodyguard watch the events unfolding on a big, HDTV. Plush, black leather couch with a drink in one hand and a raised eyebrow at the proceedings, Bulletface almost seems bemused by the turn of events. Daiyu, however, has her hands resting on each other, leaning forward to pull in the details.

_"The live broadcast that played over the city's emergency broadcast channel has been verified as real by the authorities. The media and local civilians are, as we're being told, being banned from coming within a city block of City Hall until the crisis is averted. We have reason to believe the Mayor herself as well as others in the City Hall are being held hostage. We have no confirmation on whether the Teen Titans are en route nor do we have any confirmation as to the mysterious "Watchman" Doctor Arthur Light made reference to in his broadcast..."_

Glass raised at the TV, Bulletface takes a sip of his dark-colored drink. "Gotta hand it to him. Lightbulb finally went off the deep end."

"Looks like Scarecrow's gasses have done more damage to his brain than everyone expected. If he thinks he'll get back at the Titans by taking over City Hall, he's in for a surprise."

Devil's advocate time. "Then again though, he _did_ hold his own the last time they fought?"

"True. Does that account for what he did to their goth member?" Daiyu asks.

"If Scarecrow was telling the truth about her, I'll agree it could be a tougher fight. I think she'll rip him apart on live tv."

"For the sake of the whole city, I hope not. Those metahumans are too dangerous to run around unchecked." Looking over at Bulletface's glass, she gets up for a moment. "I think I'll need the sake for this."

"Not exactly what I expected for a Monday." Desade suggests, watching the news from the back of the diner. His two children watch as well, coffee and pastries on the table.

"Ten bucks says he gets the camera shoved up his ass." Rose offers, glancing over at Marin. "Twenty if the goth does it."

"I'd pay a hundred times that if they all did it. He'll get his.." Coffee sipping, the memory of his club burning down still in his mind. No way to prove Light did it but the rumors all point to his and Scarecrow's involvement.

"We could always go down there and collect ourselves?" Desade offers, the doughnut on the plate half-eaten. "It would be a good stress reliever and all."

A snort of indignation, Rose counters "Yeah and then the Titans will start asking us all kinds of questions. Last thing I wanna hear is that Boy Blunder ask why I put my hand through one of his eyeballs."

"Wouldn't be the first time someone asked you that." Marin remarks, another sip of the coffee. Need to get more at this rate...

"Men should know better than grab someone's..."

"Marin has a point. You _do_ have a vicious temper you know?" Desade interrupts, getting a rare two-on-one on his only daughter. "You don't get that from _my_ side of the genes, that's for sure."

"Hah! That supposed to be a joke?" counters the red-eyed woman, the coffee needing a refill _badly_.

"You took the angry side, I took the smart side." Marin answers. "Dumb muscle wouldn't be so useful if it weren't for people like us."

Standing up, hand smacking the table hard, Rose shouts back while the other patrons turn their gaze to the rear of the building. "You bastard! I'll show you how dangerous DUMB MUSCLE can be you blue-headed jackass!"

"Rose, sit down. It's not even noon and you kids are bickering already." Rubbing his forehead, Desade muses aloud "What do I have to do, chain you two up to keep you from ruining _another_ diner?"

Crossed arms, Rose mutters "Blue-balled bastard.."

"Red-eyed psychopath.."

Sighing, Desade can only hope the fight on TV is enough to shut his two wayward kids up for at LEAST a few minutes. "Last time I get you two coffee..."

Leaping over the roof of the building, the Titans come face-to-face with their enemies. Although Raven and Gar aren't present yet, the four seem ready to brawl the larger group of six before them.

"Not very bright telling us where you're taking hostages at, Light." Robin offers with his usual pre-battle one-liner. Staff in hand, the rest of the group ready themselves for the struggle ahead.

Palming his face, shaking his head, Light has to ask the obvious question. "Do you really _need_ to do that every time? Seriously, people say my puns are bad but coming up with a crappy _one-liner, every time?_ What kind of children have I wasted these years on all this time?"

Three bird-a-rangs in hand, Robin offers "The kind that routinely kick your ass, _Light_!" The projectiles signal the beginning of a very important, and dangerous, battle for the city's government hub.

...

No Watchman/Garfield/Beast Boy on site yet... just the way the white-cloaked goth standing rooftop across the street wants it. Her arms folded, the battle joined, it's only a matter of time...

A/N2: The fight for the city hall is begun.. Raven seems awfully patient, doesn't she? Just like modern America, something as dangerous as a meta-human fight on a government building.. I could see that turning into one of those "hey, good programming!". People just drinking coffee (or booze) and watching it without a care... Why not? It's not like Jump City hasn't had it before..

Trivia:  
- "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan is referenced here.  
- (couch) Chains (couch).  
- Not Desade's side of the genes, huh?

Rhetorical:  
Robin does that one-liner thing too much for my taste. It's pretty obvious when a bird-shaped boomerang explodes or impales nearby that it's the same (and only) guy in the whole city, each and every time.. Who needs the one-liner?  
... Scarecrow's not _that_ crazy, is he?


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: THANK GOD THIS ARC IS FINALLY OVER! Damn, this thing took FOREVER to write.. It's been a busy summer, sure, but I've done the "Never Fear" thing TOO MANY TIMES. Finally... I'm so excited for what's ahead though Another mini-arc ("She Dreams in Red"), then the next big arc ("Number One with a Bullet) and then.. heheh... This chapter took a record FIVE re-writes to get it right. It might not be the best chapter in the world (but unlike the last Never Fear, this isn't meant to be a great, huge finale). This is the end of an ARC, not the SERIES (keep that in mind). Arcs are like Chapters, not all chapters end with a massive climax. This chapter was fun to write (after the first 2K words), especially the end when an old face appears.

-

**Nothing to Fear...**

"We're live on the scene downtown where Doctor Arthur Light has announced, minutes ago, that he and several others have taken the mayor hostage. From what we understand the remainder of the building's occupants were allowed to go free provided they didn't interfere with the criminal's plan. The JCPD has surrounded the building, closing all access up to two blocks away to prevent any civilians from putting themselves in danger. Dr. Light mentioned the Teen Titans as well as an unknown "Watchman", we're still working on the details as to that reference. From what I'm being told, the Titans _have_ arrived, I repeat the Titans are on scene.. but this "Watchman" has yet to be spotted in the melee... Stay tuned to JCN for more as this situation unfolds..."

_"Figured I'd approach in disguise, Dr. Light and the news cameras wouldn't be able to announce my dual identities that way. Ran up to the building in the form of a black Labrador, past the checkpoints, up to the base of the stairs. I could hear the battle getting out of hand, blue and green flashes from time to time like fireworks bursting overhead. There was a loud CRASH, I figured someone took a nasty blow through the roof of the building... Into the shadows behind the pillars, pulling the ring off. Seeing that green color return to my skin... I didn't know how to react to that right away. It was the first time in weeks I was reminded that I wasn't... BOOM... No time to muse on that, someone was getting an asskicking inside. Might be Raven? Didn't know right then but if it was, I'd be sure to give the offender three fists and a shoe to the balls."_

Two, or was it three, floors down from a crater in the ceiling, Jinx and Starfire lie next to each other in a mess of dust and debris. The source for their current woes comes in the form of Mammoth, Gizmo, and See-More standing by their feet. Private HIVE, Kyd Wykkyd, Punk Rocket, and Light must still remain on the top floor.. Still, nearly 2-1 odds for the bad guys, a fact Jinx and Starfire lament as they look up at their towering opponents.

"Hey Giz, look what fell down the rabbit hole?" See-More suggests, eyeball flipping colors from time to time.

"A slimesucking alien and a no-good, dirty traitor." the cackling voice of the boy genius barks back. "Ain't it a shame they fell so high."

"Why don't we just _help them up_?" Mammoth suggests, fist smacking into his hand.

"Yeah, a little payback for betraying us in Paris last year." Gizmo confirms, rearing up on his metal spider legs.

Floating up to her feet, Starfire's hands glow a bright green, one befitting her eyes. "It will be you who receives the payback for joining with Dr. Light."

Also on her feet, Jinx's fingers become alive with pink energy. "And for the record, I never _betrayed_ any of you. I outgrew you children _long_ _ago_."  
They are standing _awfully_ close to the railing over the stories-high central hall. This fact doesn't go unnoticed by Jinx who winces slightly at the height. Two stories isn't so huge a drop compared to four...

"How about we see how much you'll grow when you hit the floor down there?" Mammoth growls, moving in closer.

Green hands and pink palms ready, their power will be put to the test.

... imagine their surprise when a lion's roar cuts the air like an airhorn.

"The hell?", the words on Gizmo, Jinx, and Mammoth's mouth seems oddly familiar.. Until a green lion dives behind the two offenders, roaring for the world to hear.

Stunned, the two HIVE members turn to their backs and gasp as Beast Boy's form comes into view. Eyes narrow, fists balled, the former Titan asks "You two get off on beating up women, huh? You think it's _fun_, it's _exciting_? And I thought Light deserved an ass-kicking."

Fists balled, the pair demand in anger "_Beast Boy?_ Where the hell did _you_ crawl out from?"

One step, two steps, eyes not softening... they would _really_ hit a woman? "Step up and I'll tell you."

Mammoth accepts the challenge, taking a few, running steps forward. A fist lunges forward but Gar grabs onto the forearm like a man on a log in the river. Surprise giving way to fear, Gar transforms his body in the form of a snake, spiraling it's way up to his face. "GET THIS FREAK OFF ME!"

Gizmo attempts to use his spider legs to claw it off but a green/pink energy blast ends that idea. Eyes spinning, the boy genius falls to the ground unconscious.

Snake appearing next to Mammoth's face, the King Cobra's tongue hissing dangerously close... venomous fangs... a very real fear overtakes the large man, enough to bring a hand up to smack it. Bad move, the hand misses entirely as the snake falls limp. A big, red hand print stands where Mammoth's face is, also knocking him loopy for a moment.

Falling to the ground, changing in mid-drop, Gar shouts to his two former teammates "If you don't mind, I think I'll go top-side. Make it hurt, ok?"

As Robin and Cyborg fight off the three other HIVE members, Light remains focused, still with his arms crossed and smirk plastered on his face. This is much better fighting for _yourself_ than fighting for _someone else_. Scarecrow with his gases, his scare tactics. Who needs scare tactics when you can just use raw, dumb muscle? Let the pawns do the fighting, the king will reign supreme at the end. Three-on-two odds, technically four-on-one if Light felt it necessary to interject his own power to the fray. Then again with Punk Rocket, Kyd Wykkyd, and Private HIVE running strong, there shouldn't be any need for that.

... but that news chopper above the building is becoming quite a nuisance. They're too low for their own good and why they have their spotlight on the fight is beyond the evil doctor. Arms slipping away from their rest, Light turns his body towards the chopper and waves. The message seems obvious as the news team turns towards the supervillain. Light even manages a smile for the camera, a thumbs up from the cameraman is returned.

_"Nothing but idiots in this city. Well then, let's give them a flash of inspiration."_

Stopping his wave, Light focuses his two palms, their projectors gleaming, at the chopper. No more thumbs up as the chopper begins to lift, sensing the danger. In his palm, a glow of yellow energy bursts forward followed by a power ball. "Get THIS on tape you vultures!"

With a growl, Light fires the shot. No time for Cy or Robin to do anything about it, more victims in a horrible situation...

... No such luck as a red stream of plasma deflects the shot away from the chopper. Stunned looks abound as even Light raises an eyebrow.

"Dude, that was _so_ unnecessary." The red-haired, Aussie superheroine announces. Landing next to her fellow Titans, she faces down the nearest HIVE member with her own hands outstretched. "Sorry for the wait."

Robin offers a smile in thanks "Better late than never. Glad you could make it."

"Booyah, baby.." Cy rallies. "Reinforcements are here now let's kick some ass!"

_"So Robin had some tricks up his sleeve. Should've known he'd bring in someone to take Gar's spot.. I'm surprised it took this long."_ Raven wonders in her mind, watching the fight unfold from across the way. Having another woman on the team could be... interesting to say the least. Four women, two guys.. Shame on you Robin, you're practically tied at the hip to Starfire and you want _more_ women?

_"Light must be waiting for Gar now. Let him wait, I would've made his suffering last a lot longer if he killed those men in the chopper."_

A familiar voice in her head reminds her that she's only putting others in danger by waiting. Not exactly something one of her more noble "emotions" wouldn't announce but this isn't something worth rushing into blindly.

Then again, the sight of a green man leaping up through the hole in the building ruins that train of thought. Mouth openly slightly, Raven speaks words she hasn't thought of in months "_Beast Boy_'s back?"

"Beast Boy? When did.." Robin starts but is cut off by a shot from Punk Rocket's guitar.

No interest in the HIVE, only the man standing before them with a smirk on his face. Those cold eyes narrowing further, Light seems almost _enjoying_ the turn of events. The destruction unfolding around them as the roof is scarred and battered from fighting, Beast Boy and Light hold their eye contact.

"Well well, I wasn't expecting to see _you_. They said you took a leave of absence... So, tell me _boy_, what hole did you crawl out of?"

"You're asking me? Psssht, what did _you_ come from? That suit is WAY too bright. What is this, 1985?" Did Gar _always_ sound like this? No wonder he ditched the personality for the streets..

Hand raised upward, arm stretched towards Gar, Light suggests "1985 then? Well let's just rock you like a hurricane!" A flash of light followed by a burst similar to his attack on the chopper jets from his hand.

Leaping forward, the energy bomb misses and takes out a large chunk of the roof behind Gar. Leaping forward as a tiger, the green animal slashes through the air, begging for skin. No luck as the evil genius uses his powers to form a screen of protective light. Stuck against the shield, Light leans forward to tell the tiger, smirking all the while "I am your _better_, _radiant_ and _brilliant_ like the sun! You're nothing but a god damn CHILD!" Bouncing back onto the roof, the tiger slides to a halt before regaining the human form. Light only returns to his previous arms-crossed pose. "I have more important people to fight than part-time babies."

"How about I just flatten you under my foot then?"

A loud, amused burst of laughter ends with Light daring "Oh, _crush_ me like a little insect? By all means go ahead! Turn into a dinosaur or a dragon.. hell, a damn WHALE if you want! This building's already starting to crack.. let's just bring the whole damn thing down right now! DO IT!"

A rather violent shake of the building throws the entire group to the ground, startled... Starfire and Jinx must be doing more damage than Gar thought. Seizing the chance, Gar changes into a Cheetah and floors it towards Light as he starts to stand.

"You just don't learn, do you?" a light screen appears but Gar vanishes as he's about to slam the illusion. "What? Where did he go?"

The fly behind Light returns to a human shape. "RIGHT HERE!" the green adult mentions with a hard elbow straight to Light's face, sending him to the ground. A kick to the ribs for emphasis, Beast Boy has Light on the ropes... until a flash of very bright light blinds Gar's eyes.

"Rule one, _boy_.. If you're going to cheap shot a man on the ground, make sure he isn't armed!" Light warns, standing up as Gar clutches his eyes. Hand once again raised, the energy forming in his palm, Light allows a very dark smile to overcome his face. No feelings of doubt, no resistance to the action, only one intention in mind. "How does it feel? The loser now will be later to win..." the irony of Dylan's lyrics again doesn't get past Light's mind, the beam about to fire..

"Not today." Before his very eyes, the white-cloaked form of Raven appears from the ground. Eyes glowing white, angry, she puts a fist of dark energy into Light's face, sending him staggering back. "You've hurt my friends.." a beam of white magic pushes him back again. "Threatened my home..." Once more, he's repelled back. "And now you threaten to _kill_ one of my dearest friends?" Thrown to the middle of the roof, Light looks up to see a VERY unhappy goth at his feet. "A quick death is too generous for a waste like you."

Never Fear running strong, Light grins where once he might've shit himself. "I see Scarecrow's drugs are still in your blood."

Face as stone as ever, Raven retorts "No, they've worn off a few days ago. _You_'re the one who's inspired this." Her own hand extended at him, she demands "Anything to say you lowly, _human_ worm?"

His smirk turning to a sadistic smile, the evil laughing growing louder by the second, Light presses a button next to his suit's energy storage. In an instant, the suit under his coat begins to glow an ominous red. With an intense growl, Light appears to his feet and uses the force of the Xenothium to throw Raven, Gar, and the rest of the roof's occupants away from him. Not exactly an energy burst but the blast of air is enough to even have Beast Boy whistling in surprise. "Last words?" Light asks, eyes bordering on the psychotic. "I have _two_ words... I just pray you live long enough to hear them."

The Titans and HIVE are gone, Light's back is exposed but no one there's to take advantage. Closing the gap, Light turns to the heroes and announces "It's been fun but it's time we bring the curtain down, hmm?" Putting his hands together, fingers outstretched to give the palm projectors a clear shot, Light begins to charge up the energy suit... Electricity vomits out of his hands, ripping up more and more of the roof..

"He's not serious..." Cyborg asks, the Titans standing side-by-side with Raven and Gar.

"He is. Light's going to use all his energy to kill us in one shot." Raven replies flat and bluntly.

"We can't just let him do this!" Argent declares, readying her own strength.

Beast Boy keeps his eyes averted but asks "What do you have in mind, Rae?"

"Find the others and get out of the building." Raven asks, her eyes not avoiding Light's at all.. if it could be said "eyes", his orbs appear to be glowing entirely crimson. "This should keep the causalities down. I'll block his attack and try to force it into the air, away from the city. Got it? Get going, he's not going to wait forever!"

Any attempt by the others to argue is stopped by a death glare and a shout by Raven, her own power beginning sparking to life.

Three people leave, Gar only remains. "Didn't you hear me, Gar? Get away from here NOW!"

"I'm not leaving you, Raven. He's been a pain in my ass this past month, I'm not letting you deal with him all by yourself!"

"Azar damn it, Gar! I'm not fucking kidding here, get the hell out of here before it's too late!"

Hearing Raven curse is almost enough to surprise Gar but this moment demands seriousness. "Keep him focused on you, I'll catch him from behind!"

As Gar charges off towards Light, she can only yell at him for being an idiot for throwing away his life..

"Hah!" Light bellows, seeing the Titan come running towards him. "You want to die along with the bitch? FINE, so be it!" Power charged to maximum, Light announces to Raven "Here's those two words for you." Gleaming, his mind recalls a certain television show he once enjoyed years prior.. Only fitting he'd use the name...

"FINAL FLASH!"

Across the city, the image of the fight goes white and then to static as the feed cuts out. Not that many people close to the battle need to see the TV to notice the glowing, bright light coming from the city hall. Even as the ground under their feet shakes from the force of the blast, a panic begins to unfold throughout Jump City... Car alarms, thousands of them, start chiming off like a bad symphony, dogs howling in despair at the vibrations.. Eventually the power grid begins to short out, energy so strong in the city's downtown that the powerlines begin to short-circuit..

At the center of the city hall's roof, which is quickly buckling and tearing away from the pressure, Raven has Light's red beam blocked in the center by her own white energy. The unstoppable meets the immovable in this case as the energy pushes back and forth against itself for control. Light howls with anger as Raven tries valiantly to maintain control. If Gar was caught in the middle of that, he's surely dead by now..

"I have to admit..." Light shouts overtop of the roaring collision of strength "... you're a lot stronger than you look! But I won't be beaten by you EVER AGAIN!"

The fact that the roof is dangerously close to collapsing doesn't seem to bother neither of them, their focus is entirely on the other. Even as bits of concrete, stone, and other debris fly off in other directions, shattering windows, doors, and cars, they refuse to look aside.

...

Perhaps Light should've paid more attention as Gar appears behind him, locking his arms up under Light's own. Police-style full nelson in hold, Light barely has room to hold the beam in his hands.

"What? What the hell are you DOING?"

Straining to hold Light from the force of the blast, Gar cracks a laugh "Don't sound so afraid, _Light_. I'm only doing my job!"

"If you don't release me... we'll all be killed!" Light pleads angrily, the Xenothium won't last forever... and the beam is slowly being pushed back at him.

"Raven won't let that happen.. she'll throw it into space before she'd let it kill all these people!"

"Well guess what, shit for brains, even if she DOES throw it into space, WE'RE at the end of this thing!" Fear or not, this is just reality. Exploding into billions of pieces miles above the Earth.. not the best way to spend the Fourth coming up..

"Good thing I can fly, huh? What about you, big boy, think you can survive a couple mile fall?" For a guy this lanky, Light's making it hard to hold onto. If his feet go out from.. no, keep holding on..

Choosing not to look back at Gar anymore, Light turns his eyes towards Raven and the spectacle before them. Gritting his teeth, using all the strength he has left, he desperately tries to keep from losing this battle...

...

_"What's the matter, doctor.."_ With two men looking on, startled, a vision of Scarecrow appears in the midst of the energy clash. _".. you aren't AFRAID, are you? I warned you a man without fear would eventually burn himself out!"_

"No.. no... what are YOU doing here?" Light shouts, disbelief filling his tone.

_"Hey, Watchman.."_ Scarecrow calls out, Light's eyes shooting up tall. _BEAST BOY_ was..? _"You said you'd watch out over the entire city, didn't you? I leave this city and all it's corpses.. Make sure you keep a good eye on Light, though. He's prone to getting himself into trouble and no fear gas lasts forever.."_

Looking past the vision, Gar can see through the energies clashing together. It seems Starfire, Jinx, Argent, and Cyborg are behind their friend, joining their power together. No wonder Light's been losing for the last few moments... It's the sight of Raven, her eyes locked on his own, that has him the most amazed. She's not transforming into some raging monster, some horrifying sight his mind's projecting.. the fear gas must have worn off like Scarecrow said.. Even as she walks forward, levitating over the large holes in the roof, she doesn't remove her gaze from him at all. Her mouth doesn't move but Gar can hear her call him in his mind, her own 2 words to match Light's. _"Trust me."_

Looking to her, then back to Light, Gar closes his eyes and decided to take the advice. Much to Light's horror, the Xenothium runs out of energy...

Those brave enough to look back at the building find a horrible sight unfolding. As the white light overtakes the red one, the building buckles for the last time, white power streaming from the windows. Then, as quick as it comes, the entire building collapses in a giant heap. Some on-lookers start to scream, others with tears in their eyes.. For a generation living post 9/11, the sight of smoke and dust pouring down the streets is a grim reminder of life in this dangerous world. At the end of the destruction, the hundreds of sirens begin to sound off, rushing towards the building. Although the hostages have been released, there's still some people left on site.. some just as good as their villainous counterparts..

June 24, 2007: JCPD Holding Facility.

Down the corridors of the city's temporary prison, Garfield Logan (in disguise as Beast Boy) walks alongside a guard towards his destination. Past the numerous inmates hooting and cursing Gar's name, their glares like icy windstorms but hears beating with heated rage. Nevermind these filth, they'll be heading to a fate that's too good for them. Some might even wind up in San Quentin but none as likely as the prisoner in the cell before him.

"Five minutes." the guard informs, walking away from Gar.

"So... _you_'_re_ the Watchman.. aren't you?" Light asks, dejected. Sitting on his bed, eyes staring at the ground, slumped over only a man can when he's defeated and depressed.

"In name, I am. Otherwise I'm just Beast Boy with a different appearance."  
Shaking his head slightly, Light surmises "I should've known.. the same eyes, height.. how you appeared at the Tower to help your friends."

"To be fair, I'd blame the fear gases for that."

"Fear gases.." Light mutters in scorn. "They're just like White Rabbit. They break you down, make you their slave..."

Preaching to the choir there. "I know what it's like to have White Rabbit in your blood. I've been there once before."

"... Really?"

"January, at a warehouse party. A guy working for the Desades gave me a brownie laced with the stuff. Horrible night, hallucinations and all of that. Took the entire Titans to keep me in check and they still couldn't stop me."

Nodding softly, Light asks "Five kids couldn't stop you?"

"Yup, five couldn't stop me."

"Then why didn't you keep using it? You'd be unbeatable then."

Sitting down, Gar makes eye contact with his would-be adversary. "No one short of God is meant to be unstoppable. No matter how many guns, how much money.. or how much power you acquire, it won't last. Someone will stop you one day, for good or ill."

"You quit at the beginning of January.. is that why? Once you had White Rabbit..."

"I couldn't go back, not as Beast Boy. I couldn't look myself in the mirror again if I didn't try to deal with the drug problem. So I resigned, learned what it's like in the real world... Got my ass kicked a few times and kicked a few asses in the process. I only fought against you and your friends because Scarecrow's drugs were involved. I'm not interested in fighting masks, Light, I want to fight the people the Titans won't."

"The Desades, right?"

Nodding as well, Gar continues "And the Bulletface Gang as well. Humans might be a dangerous and ignorant race but that doesn't mean we can't make things a little bit better."

"You sound like your friends on the Titans." Light remarks, matter of fact.

"Anything that was once good, it can be again. Like it or not, I hear you went from living in alleys and trashcans to nearly wiping out the entire city. I don't agree with it but you made something of yourself in that time."

A small laugh of sorts, sarcastic or a strange musing perhaps. "And I ended up back here, _again_."

Gesturing to himself, Gar remarks "I've been living in abandoned homes and alleys myself for the past six months.. and unlike you, I won't have the dignity of a prison cell when I'm finally busted. More likely I'll be killed, shot, tortured.. a number of things."

"And you think that's all worth it to save these.. _people_?" Light asks, eyeing Gar one last time.

"It brought me out of ignorance and.. damn, can't believe I'm going to say that.. it brought me into the _light_. I'd say it's worth it."

Back at the waiting room, Gar's waiting for the pickup Cyborg promised. Not that Gar's in any rush with Scarecrow and Light dealt with.. all that's left to do in this room though is read old magazines or watch the evening news.

_"Nearly a week following the crisis at city hall, the city is still in a state of mixed emotions. The Titans have been called irresponsible for allowing such high damage on the city's former place of government. City officials, however, responded that while the Mayor had been relocated to safety, ironically by the villains themselves, the Titans could not have known this. The damage, they say, was the work of the metahumans and criminals who instigated the situation in the first place. However, a stir was created when the city announced it had rejected a civilian call for requiring the Titans to front the costs of rebuilding the city hall. Protest that the city's taxpayers would need to pay for a new building had alarmed the JCPD until the announcement that several local corporations would provide the funding themselves. In an interview with one of the local business owners, CEO Arthur Void of Void Enterprises had this to say._

_"While the damage to our city hall has been extensive, we cannot forget that the Titans were in fact working to protect our citizens and our mayor. The villains themselves should be labeled as terrorists rather than "mental patients" unlike those on the East Coast. With costs already running high for the citizens of Jump City and California, we feel that, as Jump City is our primary source of workforce, we should give the citizens an indirect tax break and fund the city hall's reconstruction ourselves."_

_"Mr. Void promised that as soon of the cleanup had been completed, the building's reconstruction would begin immediately..."_

...

Sitting in his chair, Gar muses this development in his head. "That's generous..."

A/N2: Boy howdy, those last 2 scenes were my favorite.. I love writing stuff like that.. Not to mention Void is, by far, one of my most favorite characters to write. Nothing to Fear is done, goodbye... Dr. Light's back in prison, Scarecrow's gone, Void and associates will be rebuilding the city hall.. If you're asking about "what happened to the mayor", the jist was she wasn't in the building when it came down. She and the rest of the staff were bait, Kyd Wykkyd probably got her out just before the Titans arrived. Now with the masks dealt with, maybe Gar can finally get back to business of cleaning up the streets?

Trivia:  
- "Rock You Like a Hurricane" by The Scorpions is referenced by Light.  
- "The loser now will be later to win", another Bob Dylan reference with "The Times They are a'Changin'"  
- The fight with Raven/Light was an omage to Cell vs. Gohan from DBZ..  
- Light's "Final Flash" was also an omage to Vegeta from DBZ.

Rhetorical:  
"She Dreams in Red..." Trust me, you're not expecting what the mini-arc coming up is.. Rose isn't exactly a Wallace and Gar isn't exactly a Vega.


	24. She Dreams in Red

A/N: Finally, I can hit the ground running with the next bit of works. This chapter (and by extension, the next/final chapter) is very little action but very honest, frank, and at times funny conversation. The interaction in this chatper between North Jump's two infamous Private Investigators was a thrill to write.. as well as the little drama at the end when the JCPD's finest get involved. Before we start, as your friend, I advise you to listen to the Pulp Fiction soundtrack... trust me...

**She Dreams in Red...**

September 1, 2007.

Sitting in the front seat of Jake's black Monte Carlo, the duo of Jake Dewalt and Garfield Logan look like a pair of killers than P.I.s. Jake with his brown suit and cream-colored tie, Gar in the passenger seat with his duster on top of a black, button-down shirt and thin purple tie. Odd choices of color for the two but their matching icy states would silence any would-be complaints from "fashion police". No, the only thing the two might give a damn about right now is why 98.5 KFox isn't playing more Zeppelin and less Metallica.

"Tell me again just _why_ you decided to do this?" Jake asks, ignoring the sound of "Nothing Else Matters".

"I do a lot of things, need to be more specific." Gar retorts, gazing out of the window.

Taken back a little bit, Jake scoffs at that reply "Ha ha, the kid uses big words. I meant _why_ did you ask me to come along and bag this man for you?"

"Never said bag him _for_ me, said bag him _with_ me, big difference. Besides, I could use some time away from Downtown."

"Yeah, ever since those crazies went and tore down city hall, shit's gotten tense. The JCPD hasn't let me in the door since, saying I'm becoming a pest."

Looking over at the driver, Gar cracks a grin "Nah, not you. The press are pests, you're more of a flea that won't go away."

"Well how very considerate of you to label me a tiny insect that enjoys sucking the blood of larger beings for substance. I guess that makes you a bacteria on the ass of said flea then because I seem to notice _you_ never do any driving."

"No license and no car. I happen to enjoy using the Bay Area's public transportation. It makes you feel better since you're not polluting the air all the time."

"We call that mooch where I come from." Jake points out, matter of fact. "Gas ain't cheap in case you haven't noticed."

"Put it on the tab. We bring in this guy, department will reimburse you." reminds Gar as the two reach a red light.

"_Department_? Wait, whoa whoa.. hold up.. _WHICH_ department?" From the shifty glare on Jake's face, it's clear the idea of having an undercover...

"Jump City Police Department. It's a package deal if I want to start taking down the Bulletface and Desade gangs. I do a little dirty work for them, bring in some names... they throw me some cash and give me the heads up when things are about to happen."

"Private Investigators work outside of the established law agencies, you _do_ know that?" Jake asks, catching the sight of a McDonald's across the way.

"Everyone's got bills.. gas bill especially."

Seventeen minutes, a Big Mac, two Cokes, and a salad wrap later, they resume their discussion as they leave the fast food joint.

"Make sure you tell them to put this meal down for expenses. I don't understand how a young kid like you doesn't eat meat."

Shrugging, Gar offers "I don't understand how some people can do heroin or speed but they do it. One man's high is another man's low, right? Besides, all that shit they put in meat nowadays, you're just begging for a heart attack and ecoli."

"While your raise an interesting point, a total abstinence from eating meat would ultimately result in a lack of muscle strength, would it not? Aren't you missing some essential ingredients to a rational, healthy person when you don't eat meat?"

"Probably but I wouldn't know. Technically you can live to be over a hundred by smoking a pack of cigs, drinking a gallon of wine a week, and refusing to have babies. If you'd like to live that way, more power to you, but the fact is it's a choice. You choose to eat meat because you like the taste, I happen to avoid it because I understand where it comes from."

"So, let me get this straight, you've _never_ had meat?"

"A few times when I was a kid, sure. I wasn't gonna be four years old and tell my parents "I'm sorry, I don't want to eat this hamburger because it's made of murdered cattle". No, I probably just went along with it. But it's like this city man, once you know how it works and what _really_ goes into it, you can't turn away. Once I found out how chicken, beef, milk.. all that was made, I just couldn't look back."

... "Not even back when I found you in January?" Jake asks raising his eyebrow. "You looked mangy, hungry as all hell those few times. You wouldn't bite a steak if someone handed it to you?"

"If I knew we'd be talking about my vegan attitude, I would've ordered a second salad wrap, I'm still hungry. And no, I wouldn't have. Would've found myself a can of beans and just had that."

"Straight out of the can?"

Glance over to his side, Gar asks "Yeah, why not? Saves the trouble of finding a plate."

"Fuck that if I'm eating out of the can like that. I'll get myself a paper plate or a newspaper, something. Hell, if I didn't know any better, I'd say living in North Jump's starting to rot your head."

Leaning back in the seat, observing the passing scenery, Gar suggests "I think being in the company of a North Jump P.I. has..."

...

"So what's this dude's name?"

"Hmm?"

"This dude got a _name_ or is it "_hmm?"_ retorts the older man, turning onto an even busier street. Daytime traffic sucks when you're in the heart of an urban slum.

"Oh, yeah he's got a name. HQ says his name's probably just an alias. He goes by the name "Dark Rapture" or some shit."

"Dark Rapture? Sounds like something you'd see on the Internet these days. So what he do? Selling drugs, assault..?"

Lowering the window to take in the breeze, despite Jake's glare for letting the A/C air out, Gar replies "Burglary, robbed a mom and her two kids at gunpoint. Ran off with a couple fistfuls of the kids' money from the piggy bank, hit the mom across the face with the gun too."

"Damn.. World's coming to an end, ain't it? Now why do these crazy motherfuckers have to go and ruin decent people's lives?" Jake laments, his agitation at humanity growing.

If Jake's upset at humanity, Gar must be close to loathing by now. "Ms. Sinclair wants him brought in. On top of helping the community at large by "removing a degenerate member of society", the house he robs _just so happens_ to be the home of a close friend of her's."

"_Ms. Sinclair_? You know when I gave you the idea to meet her, I didn't exactly expect you'd agree to work for her."

Slowly, a very gloating smile grows on Gar's lips "Who ever said she _hired_ me? I believe you told me to bend people, not break them?"

Looking over at Gar, his smile like a cat, Jake merely shakes his head and looks back at the road.

Pulling into a parking spot in the lot, Gar looks up at the building before him. Fifteen stories or so tall, crowded to boot judging from all the people around the premises, the question begs to be asked. "Vago Projects, right?"

"Yup."

"I've heard about it but I never got a chance to come over here myself."

Ignition turned off, Jake offers simply "Very few people do. Most people aren't stupid enough to come here looking for a citizen's arrest."

"Point taken."

Outside in the air, Gar and Jake link up as they start moving for the entrance. The children on the small playground seem oblivious, the men in the gold bandanas and cold stares are not. It doesn't take sharp eyes to see their hands moving for unseen weapons, these intruders posing a bigger threat than they care to allow on their set.

"What floor's your boy at?" their stares won't intimidate Jake although he seems to be getting the majority of said glares. His reputation seems to have preceded him.. as usual..

"Lucky thirteen. Room 1337. I hope to hell this place has an elevator."

"Some stairs does wonders for your endurance." Jake reminds, the four flights of stairs to get to his own apartment a testament to that fact. "So what do you plan to do? You know he ain't coming willingly."

"Let's hope our persuasive charm convinces him to consider it differently."

Into the building, through the old and worn-down main entrance, they spot the elevator and move for it without missing a beat.

"So, we drag this guy in and collect ourselves a day's pay." Jake reasons, emphasizing the _we_ part especially. "What are you using the money for then?"

"Got a little business I need to take care of tonight, a little social call." No flinching in the response, stone faced and honest.

Eyebrow raised, Jake suggests "A _social call_? Takin' Kristine out for a night on the town?" Gar's slight surprise is counters in turn by Jake. "My baby girl's been talking about how her co-worker, her best friend Kristine, has some company lately. No booty call or anything, just a nice guy with balls. Did some digging one night as a favor for my girl since Kristine wouldn't give up any names. Sure enough, I spot you leaving the apartment building one morning."

"You remind me of a friend of mine out East." Question would LOVE this guy's paranoia... "As much as I'd like to, it's not her. Got myself a crazy phone call yesterday from Antoine Desade himself."

"Thought you said you hadn't heard from him since city hall came crumbling down?" hearing the name of the Bay Area's biggest dealer in such a private conversation is a little of out the blue.

"I didn't. He wanted a personal favor, nothing big. He's taking his son up to Sacramento until Sunday night and he doesn't want his baby girl to get lonely."

Sarcasm heavy, Jake mutters "Can't have that, son of a bitch."

"Tell me about it. Still, if it gets me closer to taking them down.. especially from the inside.. I'll do it. So all I have to do is go with her tonight, have a drink or so, do the friend thing, and come make sure she doesn't get hurt or bored."

"Like a _date_ then?"

Rolling his eyes, the reply comes back quick "It's not a date. Strictly business..."

"It's not a date..."

DING, the door opens on the thirteenth floor, out come the two looking focused. Jake, however, doesn't let the situation go that easily.

"So then, I take it you've heard about everything that's gone down since June?"

"Like what?"

"Oh, you know, Bulletface's gangsters been setting up fronts in North Jump, the Triads making a stake in South Jump. I even heard the DEA and NJPD are about to move in on the Desades' operation at the North Jump Port Authority."

"I heard about some of that. I don't think they're gonna move on the Port just yet though."

Around the corner, still a long walk to go. "You have suspicions?"

"Some of your instincts rubbing off on me maybe. If they really wanted to take down that operation, they would. But with all the trouble going down in Jump lately, the DEA's probably got it's hands full. You remember that one in that fake car shop?"

"Yeah, the one down on Clemonson St.?"

"Well I hear they found enough White Rabbit stashed to keep a couple hundred dosed for a couple months. It was about to be moved when someone called in, thinking kids were breaking into the joint one night. Next thing you know, the JCPD and the DEA are shitting themselves because the Desades might be using Downtown property as warehousing instead of just North Jump."

Seeing the room coming up, Jake motions "Fun and all but we should lay back for a moment. Let's see if anyone comes up here, hmm? This place is giving me the chills to be honest."

Moving around the corner, Gar places his hands on his hips "_You_ with the chills? C'mon man, it's only September. This place is a dump but it's not THAT cold out."

"Just givin' me the bad vibe, ya know? We ain't seen a single motherfucker on this floor since we got up here and we've been here a few minutes now. They're afraid to come out and.."

"Probably because there's two guys with suits out here talking in the corner like we're about to blow someone's brain to kingdom come. These people aren't investigators themselves but they _know_ when something ain't right. And guess what, _we_ just so happen to be what's not right."

... "You know you're starting to scare me when you talk like that."

Shrug, Gar answers "Told you, maybe you're rubbing off on me."

Looking back towards the door then back at Gar, Jake asks "What else did Rebecca tell you about this guy? They think he's armed, got a crew?"

"No idea except he's held up in 1337 of the Vago Project. Whatever he's got in there, it's a mystery.."

Taking a breath, Jake reaches into his pocket to check his revolver. "Fine, we'll just have to go with that. Let's try and surprise this fucker, huh?"

"After you."

By four o'clock, the pair have arrived in Downtown Jump with their passenger in tow. As per a phone call, Det. Sinclair waits for them in the garage under the station. Best to keep eyes and ears away while the good guys do their business.

Coat scuffed up on Gar's body while Jake looks like he could use more than a bandage for his forehead, they look like they've just been in a rumble. Offering the two a smoke, one that Jake gladly accepts, she marvels at the pair of them.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you guys were brothers." Inhale, exhale... "I'm amazed neither of you are dead by now."

Glare aimed at Gar, Jake remarks "We almost were when this bastard dragged me into that crazy shit at the project. Damn near had a chest full of hollowpoint!"

"Don't blame me for this. You could've told me he had a liquor bottle in hand. I would've stopped it from hitting your skull."

As she chuckles at their banter, the two of them turn back to the normally stoic detective. "Yup, definitely brothers. It's been a long time since I saw you argue with someone like that, Jake.."

To Gar, the comment doesn't seem nearly as deep... until the long pause between the P.I. and the detective passes by. There's a reason for that, one that escapes the former Titan at the moment..

"Either way, he said you're paying him for this kind of work. To be fair, I'd say half is better than just paying food and gas, _Gar_."

Before Gar has a chance to argue further, Sinclair agrees to the deal. "You've done your fair share. It's not everyday the JCPD gets to pay North Jump's most reckless investigator for working in the city's best interest."

"Sorry Rebecca but it was a one-time deal. If I'd known this would happen.."

Eyes rolling, Gar laments this in honesty "Would you let it go? You're getting paid _AND_ now you can take your baby girl out for a night on the town." The irony in that retort runs deep considering their discussion in the elevator hours prior..

Her own eyebrow cocked, the detective asks a bit intrigued and yet icily "_Baby girl_? So, you're _still_ with her? I gotta admit, I'm surprised."

That earlier pause between them begins to click in Gar's head as their gaze turns a bit darker than before. It's obvious this isn't just a regular friendship here...

"You told me to change.. I listened to you on at least one thing."

Eyebrow back to a normal, cold gaze, Sinclair admits "Well, maybe you can change the rest of things I warned you about before they get you killed. In the meantime, go to the front desk to claim your money." Turning away from the boys, giving a nod to Gar.. "Nice catch for your first fish. Maybe next time you can bring me Desade or Bryson?"

"I'd like to bring them all if I could. Maybe they'd make me Chief."

"Don't get your hopes up too high, you'll crash back down to Earth." Looking to Jake, the gaze lingers just a little moment longer before she advises him "You better be treating her right. Just because you made a mess of your life since high school doesn't mean..."

"I treat her like a queen; don't tell me how to run my life."

After the money is collected, standing by the Monte Carlo, Gar asks the one question nagging him since the talk in the garage. "I take it you and her must've had something going between you at some point."

Money counted, Jake opens the door with a sour expression on his face. "Maybe in the past we did... But then again, life has a way of taking something special and killing it because of bitterness."

"Love's a tricky thing, ain't it?"

Getting into the car, Jake answers simply "No, it's a pain the ass."

...

The car starting up, Gar offers a good night as Jake leaves without a reply. Pulling into the street, he darts off with a scream of the engine. A tiny smirk on his face, Gar muses to himself... "He still has feelings for her..."

A/N2: This chapter is a fun one because it has setups to the future (some more subtle than others) as well as tie-ins to the past chapters. Gar isn't some dashing, action-packed Bond-like character.. neither is Jake.. in the frame of this story.. Sometimes the little events inbetween are just as fun. And yes, I didn't show the fight because it wasn't the point... A little Tarantino of me but these 2 chapters will be an omage of sorts.. It actually fits the characters when you think about it...

Trivia:  
- Room 1337 is a knock on Leet speak, I fucking hate LEET shit.  
- DarkRapture, not seen but mentioned.. one of the reviewers of this story (I haven't done that much reference in this series, have I?)  
- The car shop is a slight reference to "Rev's Garage" from the first draft of Watchman II.  
- "... it's not a date" quote from John Trevolta's "Vincent Vega" in Pulp Fiction.  
- "She Dreams in Red..." are some lyrics from Pearl Jam's song "Better Man".

Rhetorical:  
Rose and Gar should be fun as hell to write.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Ok, finally, I got this chapter done. I might be challening Tarantino still (not Pulp Fiction) but it was necessary. Things don't need massive details, sometimes you just need cliff notes and/or drugs. This is a rather interesting read because you start wondering "How many people in this story have drug/alcoholic tendencies?" Seriously, tell me another story on this site (dealing with superheroes) do you see with this much substance abuse, real-life drama, and underlying sexual overtones? (Did he just say "sexual overtones"?, yes he did).  
**  
She Dreams in Red...**

_"Why did I even bother to go? I could've easily just said I was busy.. could've ignored the phone call.. The Desades were the number one enemy in my eyes so why should I even give them the dignity of answering the phone? In the two times I met Desade's daughter, it was like she was two different people in one. The first time she was an angry, bitter bitch... to be fair, she WAS under Scarecrow's influence. And the other time she was hustling pool with a chip on her shoulders. She was certainly animated, if not damn loud about what she had opinions on.. So maybe I agreed to this only to get a good listen, see just vile these people really were. Keep your enemies close, work from the inside to tear something apart on the outside..."_

Headphones in his ear, Gar approaches the front entrance to a very large residential building in Downtown. Not exactly his type of living space these days, the building is actually _livable_, but there's business to be had here. Nevermind the awkward stares from the doormen, the shifty looks on the bellhops, Gar isn't THAT out of place. Sure it's still summer but the nights haven't exactly been too warm as of late. Looking himself over one more time, the duster/button shirt/tie mix isn't perfect but to hell with impressing these drug-peddling swine...

As instructed, Gar moves towards the phone booths at the lobby, fishing in his pocket for a quarter. Knife... knife... mp3 player...receipt... what's that?... ah! A twenty-five piece. The greedy machine paid, the buttons pressed, just waiting for an answer.

...

_"Yo?"_

"It's Gar, I'm in the lobby."

Her mood doesn't perk up much more than "about time". _"18th floor, room 12. Come on up, I'm almost done."_

"Alright." click. Sighing, Gar moves a hand through his blond, messy locks. A haircut would've been good but there wasn't enough time. Still, his hands run over a pair of sunglasses in his pocket. A slight grin on his mouth, he moves for the elevator. "Green glasses, purple ties, and a trench coat... A little Joker-much?"

_"Mommy's little monster shoots methadrine, mommy's little monster had sex at 15..." _the sound of punk-rock screams throughout the lavish penthouse overlooking the city. Coming from the bathroom, Rose stands in front of the mirror applying some last-minute black eyeliner. Mouthing along with the lyrics, she paints the last part of her right eye.

_"She left home for the streets, she couldn't deal with all the heat..."_  
Makeup done, she takes a bottle of water sitting at the end of the sink and uncaps the top. Opening the mirror, she also retrieves a bottle of pills. Eyes rolling at the sight, she shakes her head and pops two pills followed by the water. "Damn pills..."  
_"She has fun with the boys in the band, in her eyes it will never end..."_

Finally, something worth doing, the final object on the counter is a bag of white powder. Pouring a little bit onto the marble top, she chops three lines worth of the stuff and brings a straw up to her nose.

_"Her dad asked what happened to her face, it could have happened in any place!"_

The elevator is so long that Gar's own music plays through his ears. Tapping his foot to the beat, he mumbles the words to himself, thankful for the lack of other passengers.. "She lies and says she's in love with him... can't find a better man..."  
_"Come on you stupid elevator! MOVE IT!"_

"... she dreams in color, she dreams in red... can't find a better man..."

Beep beep on the earpiece. No more music, a grimace on his face, Gar relents and presses the comm. "Garfield."

_"I heard it through a grapevine you're on a date with Antoine Desade's daughter.."_

Frown on his face, both from a security leak and the voice's identity, Gar remarks "News travels fast. How long did you know?"

_"Long enough to hear you speaking Pearl Jam lyrics in that elevator."_

Eyes growing wide, Gar has to keep himself from screaming. "Damn it, Q! What the fuck man, do you have cameras following me all the time?"

_"Of course not, even someone with your inexperience at connecting the dots would figure out the pattern in time. Perhaps if you learned to turn your earpiece off from time to time..."_

"That's a gross invasion of my privacy!" a slight tinge of embarrassment overcomes the crimefighter.. Such a rookie mistake and the LAST person he wanted to let slip of this trip.

_"You left it out there for me to find. All I had to do was press record."_

Surprise turning to a glare, Gar tells his mentor and friend "There's something seriously wrong with you. Do you do this to Helena?"

_"... Please..."_

"Don't give me..."

_"... I listen to everyone's conversations."_ Click.

... Glare not giving way, Gar mutters to himself "Probably bitter because he doesn't have a face."

Two knocks on the door, the earpiece is definitely turned OFF to keep Q from listening further. Then again the bastard probably has it over-ridden or, dear lord, a separate mic in his ring. Bah, can't think of that paranoid nutcase now, it's time for business.

_"Come in!"_ she shouts behind the wood, not very loud given the music still roaring strong. With a shrug, Gar complies.

Red rugs, how fitting. Three steps down and you'd reach the living room... spacious to say the least. With that black-themed kitchen to the left, fireplace to the right, and that wide, gorgeous window taking up the city-side view, it's certainly not for those light in the wallet. Even the recessed and pin-point lighting seems like it's made of fine silver instead of low-class, Wal-Mart grade light fixtures. Hell, with the quality that radio's putting out, Gar wouldn't doubt if she happened to have a Bose radio player. Amazing what robbing the people of their lives can do for your bank account.

"Hey, I'm just cleaning up in here." Rose shouts from the bathroom. "The bar's stocked if you'd like. Hope you dig rum."

Stocked is an understatement. All Gar knew about liquor up to this point was "Jager" and "Jameson", these three dozen varieties seem like they're from Mars. Bordeaux, Loire, Languedoc... hell, even a bottle of Sambuca (white) and Captain Morgan Private Stock. "Rum it is then..."

If it's gonna be on the Desades' tab, might as well suck up some of their money. A small glass of Morgan and Lime Seltzer in his hand, Gar feels sorry after the first sip. BURN, baby BURN!

"What, you've never had Cap'n before?" Rose asks, coming out from the hallway.

...

_"I was about to turn around and tell her I had a preference for Jameson rather than rum... but she managed to stop me dead in my tracks. When I saw her, the first thing I recalled was just how similar to Amy Lee she looked like. She cut her hair at some point from the previous time I met her... That full head of black hair was stretched into bangs, red highlights, but no longer down to her back. No, she cut it so part of it was covering her face and yet, ooh... The black eyeliner really brought out that weird crimson color in her eyes, those dark red lips... and man, oh man, did that red corset just hug every inch of her body. Damn, what the hell was I getting into? She didn't hold back while I thought myself overdressed.. Black/red skirt, high-ankle black boots, that girl was dressed to kill."  
_...

"Well, from that look, I'd say I look pretty damn good hmm?" Spinning around on a heel, she reminds him "And trust me, you don't get much better than this." She plays coy a bit for effect "So, do my shoes match the rest or what?"  
"Back in Black, huh?"  
Her smirk grows that much wider as she points out "AC/DC isn't that bad but purple and black? Not a bad idea but the coat just has to go."

Finishing his rum, Gar suggests "I don't do the goth look as well as you. I'd dress more grunge if it wasn't gonna be a fun evening."

"Ooh, I like a man in flannel.. As long as you don't get whiny, Cobain on me, I'd say I'd keep you around a bit."

This is gonna be a fun night. "Well then, since you feel that way, were you speeding us tonight?"

All Gar's lucky to get is a foreboding, deep laugh on her part... maybe this could be a little more dangerous than he thought...

_"I'm not really sure what exactly hit me that night. Ever get one of those days that you're not sure just WHAT you went through.. but leaves an impression for years? It's not so much where we went, how loud she got, or why I was there, it was the whole blend of it all that left it's mark. We left her apartment building, jumped in her fire-red 2007 RX-7 Mazda, and boomed for the first bar of seven. She was very persistent in hitting up seven, saying it was a lucky night for her dad and brother to be out of town like this. Hell, I was only there to keep her company, so I agreed with her and sang along as the music kept rising._

_And not just normal bars either. The first was an obscure Irish pub named "Boondock Saint" after the movie. Three pints of Guinness and two Jameson's later, she pulled me back into the car and we boomed over to "Club Zenn", a Japanese nightclub with American Rave. Everything was going great until she nearly clawed out another woman's eyes for looking at me the wrong way. "If you want your own man, go back to the curb you came from you fucking whore!", it was funnier than it sounded really._ _By eleven, we'd already taken out four different bars and two nightclubs and she was on her way to number seven._

_Rose is an interesting woman to say the least. I'm no narcotics expert but I could tell from her eyes and the white residue around her nose that she was snorting Cocaine from time to time. It would explain why she needed the radio turned all the way up and the manic mood swings. She described some sort of bi-polar prescription she was taking because her father threatened to throw her into the psych ward if she wouldn't. I don't know if it was true or not but I wouldn't put it past her if she just so happened to be a dangerous, bi-polar nutjob. If she's this insane, I told myself, what must Antoine and her brother be like?_

_For most of the night, we avoided the topics regarding my job as an "investigator" and her relationship to the biggest drug baron in Jump. I knew my place, as well as the motivation behind it, for staying with her that night. The last thing I needed was Desade getting angry at me and doing something stupid enough like sending goons to kill me. I'd send them all home in bodybags but it would make things A LOT more complicated so I wisely avoided this idea. _

_She didn't seem to care why I was an investigator or even why I bothered to help her; she was more interested in music, fashion, the movies, and ways to get into trouble. A real wild child if I ever saw one. She'd shoot straight Jose Cuervo and Captain Morgan, let out a hell of a whoop, then ask for some Jagermeister and Banker's Club gin. She put down liquor like a pro then laugh it off, light up a smoke, and move onto some other topic. I wonder if she did Amphetamine (Speed to you lay readers) or even Ecstasy? God help me, the thought came to my mind that someone with a serious liking to psychoactive drugs would... I already knew she was into Cocaine but the situation would become dangerous if she decided to take either one of those drugs while I was around. A screaming, hell-bound banshee driving at a hundred and fifty-five into the nearest telephone poll would produce more than a headache if my head didn't collapse into a pile of hamburger meat on contact._

_And despite all of this, I felt a certain bent attraction towards that maniac in the driver's seat. She reminded me of a Cocaine-driven blend of Jinx's "I don't give a fuck" attitude towards assholes, Argent's red/black flair... and maybe the by-product of what a baby between Amy Lee and Pink would look like. Throw all of that together and give her a definite death wish, potential bi-polarity, and a drug addiction and you're very close to Rose Desade. And, to be frank, she was gorgeous in every definition of the word. A walking, talking, put-my-fist-in-your-mouth, confident chick would could rock a Goth or Punk look in style even in the midst of two-thousand cheerleader and whore-types. I wouldn't call it love but you don't find a woman this fun sitting next to you in a car very often... Then again, the way my life is, I should consider that not-so uncommon but you get the gist. _

_The drama finally came when we left the last bar, a little joint in Downtown by the name of "Lord Martiya's". Nearly one in the morning and both of us were in a great mood..."_

Arm over each other's shoulder, a drunk-looking Rose Desade and Garfield Logan stagger out onto the street, laughing. Cheeks red from booze, they joke about something in particular but hard to tell from the slur in their tones. The Mazda isn't far so they do their best to make it there without falling over. A taxi would be better off, have one "daddy's" henchmen pick up the car, but where's the fun in that?

"Well... that was FUN!" Rose blurts, the music from Martiya's fading behind them. "I never knew Jameson was so fucking good!"

Gar can hardly step right himself, keeping a hand far above the danger zone but still needing help for balance. "Green is certainly the best in the world.. Shame it burns so fuckin' hard though."

"Pfffft, you pussy! Suck on a few tequila's and THEN YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT BURNS!"

...

Hardly anyone around, the street seems eerily quiet despite being downtown in Jump City. Quiet enough for a man to step out of the shadows with a knife in hand, all below his eyes covered by a black bandana. "Alright _kids_, wallets and jewelry, _now!_'"

Perhaps it's the booze hiding the gravity of the situation but Rose and Gar start to _laugh_ at the demand...

"Are you _shitting_ me?" Rose asks between laughs. "You're _really_ gonna hold us up with a _knife_?"

Gar, however, is more aware of the situation but laughs only to keep the appearance up. His left hand hasn't left his coat's pocket after all.

This statement doesn't exactly please the would-be mugger. "I fucking mean it, _bitch_. Hand your shit over, NOW!"

Her arm still across his back, Gar feels the fingers tense up.. they feel like fucking _blades_! Must be the alcohol... "Or else _what_? Hey, come and get 'em!"

They were warned, didn't listen..

As the mugger comes in to knife Rose, the most annoying of the two, Gar's left hand reaches out like lightning, grabbing his knife-wielding arm by the wrist. The surprise on the man's face doesn't go unnoticed as Gar offers a sick grin in reply. "Dogs..." a twist of the wrist brings sharp pain to the man's hand, dropping the knife. "...should know..." pulling him close, Gar brings a knee to his face, the blood oozing out of his nose. "...better than to fuck..." letting the man hit the ground, Gar snaps a boot across his face for the knockout "...with bigger dogs!"

As Gar retrieves the knife, slipping it into his pocket, he searches the man for something...

"Whoa.. you fucked his shit up!" Rose remarks, legit impressed at how fast Gar dispatched him.

No wallet.. no cash... "I don't like people trying to rob me. Still, it's another switch in the collection."

"You collect peoples' knives?" either she's drunk or the idea of Gar beating up people and stealing their weapons is.. appealing?

Hmm.. nice Zippo lighter.. must've stolen it from someone. Hey, goes around, comes around, Gar's now. "Guns too if they pull it on me. I don't like weapons being pointed at me, especially if I'm with someone." Nothing else worthwhile, Gar returns to his feet. "Guess people just have to fuck up a bad ass night, don't they?"

That grin, that deliciously evil grin on her face only grows wider as she takes in a good look at the man in brown, black, and purple. "Who said the night was over?"

Eyebrow up, Gar asks in curiosity "One in the morning... we've both done.." a burp, rather loud.. "excuse me.. We've both had a lil' too much to drink..."

"So no more bars?" she suggests, eyebrows wigglin' a bit.

"Unless you know something _else_..." No.. bad time for the liquor to talk... no, no, no...

Slipping her arm around his, she leads him, rather clumsily, towards the car. "I think I might.."

A/N2: This mini-arc is thus completed, now we can move onto "Number One with a Bullet", Gar's forray into the Bulletface/Desade conflict that's building. "Why didn't you show Gar/Rose's "date"? It wasn't as important as you'd think, just like Gar's stay in Hub. All that buildup, you'll say, and for THAT payoff? Hey, if you wanted some sort of heavy "lemon" or whatever these fetish-driven fanfickers call it, go rent porn, you'll find none of that here you swine! Zippo lighters and green sunglasses, hmm...These mini-arcs are little, I STRESS SMALL, stories to experience one day or so, NOT long arcs... and was it fun or what? Rose, a Cocaine-snortin, alcoholic that seems to have a thing for a man who can put his fist through a fucker's face. I wonder if she'll be his...

Trivia:  
Lots of references in this chap.  
- Room 1812, keep that number in mind (you music fans will know).  
- Green sunglasses.. hmm...  
- The scene with Rose in the bathroom and Gar at the bar was, again, a nod to Pulp Fiction.  
- The song playing in Rose's bathroom is "Mommy's Little Monster" by Social Distortion.  
- Gar's song in the elevator was "Better Man" by Pearl Jam which features the mini-arc's title.  
- Reference to the "Boondock Saints"  
- "Club Zenn" is a shoutout to one of my first reviewers from the first Watchman.  
- Nightclub "Lord Martiya" is named after one of this draft's reviewers.  
- Cobain reference to Kurt Cobain of Nirvana fame who blew his face off with a shotgun.  
- Amy Lee, the lead singer for "Evanescence"  
- Pink, I think that's her name, another mainstream singer.

Rhetorical:  
I think Gar's a lot more animalistic than people realize.. how many "mates" do Lion Kings have?


	26. Number One with a Bullet

A/N: Two updates in two days? Is this shades of 2008 with the first Watchman story? Fuck that. Gar's one-man war begins in earnest (and all wars are bases on deception). You might ask "Why is Gar more Punisher than Beast Boy".. well, unlike the first Watchman draft, Gar's been educated in military and psychological warfare than the first time and he's in a better position to use it. Who wants to get shot when you can use your enemy for your own benefit? This is the first arc I've planned out in notes (rather than firing them from the hip) so it should seem more coherent and sensible. I'm loving doing the research on the weapons names and uses... As I told FM93, I think Gar's becoming a whore (or growing an ego).

**Number One with a Bullet...**

September 23, 2007.

_"The time had come, no more masks or crazy "supervillains" from Gotham to get in my way. It was time to finally start the war against Desade's drug operation as well as Bulletface's gun cartel. It was easier than it sounded but nine months on my own had finally brought me to this point. It wasn't just going to be a hard war, it was going to be a long war. It wouldn't be easy but nothing worth doing is ever that._

_Six months with Question had given me an edge I didn't have this time last year. He taught me how to make the connections, see the links that couldn't be seen so easily, and helped solidify my desire to repay the gangs of Jump City. For the things he wasn't expert on, Justice League associates and Hub City contacts filled the gaps. Everything from explosives, chemistry, stealth... The books I read gave insight from ancient as well as modern thoughts on warfare, psychological and military. By living alone, I could strike at their heart and pull back, hiding in some shithole.. safe and secure. I'd listen to Sun Tzu and live off the enemy's resources, use his weapons and money against him... And the ever-present advice from Question back in January would inspire me: Think like an animal._

_I already had a large collection of knives and a few handguns, all taken from muggers and small-time criminals throughout the Bay Area. A good start for self-defense but I'd need some other, more important components before war began. Chemicals, explosives... ammunition would need to be stockpiled. I'd need to steel my heart for the next few months if I was going to put them down for good. What better way than to acquire these materials than from their own supply? September 23, I'd begin my war with a bang..."_

_"Thanks to Detective Sinclair, I found someone in Downtown who could point me in the right direction. A low-level grunt, he only had a use because he ran an illegal gun store under an old apartment building near Golden Gate Park. Didn't want to raise alarms yet so I bribed him, gave him fifty if he'd tell me where I could "go direct" with the goods. He wanted seventy-five but backed off when I pulled my sunglasses down enough to see these icy eyes of mine. Question was right about one thing: After TJ White's murder spree, my eyes have gotten much colder. He said there was a small warehousing unit in North Jump, one which went undercover as a pallet manufacturing group, which could hook me up. It'd be worth a look, wouldn't it?_

_To be fair, there was plenty of pallets all over the yard. The chain link fence seemed small next to some of the stacks around the place but I could tell this place wasn't interested in wood. For instance, how many manufacturers mandate their employees wear black suits (and some of them carry firearms)? Forklifts came out of the back gate from time to time, loading containers onto trucks while other trucks brought in more freight. Again, it would pass well enough for the common citizen... I'm not a common citizen though. Even with the orange lamps glowing above, no one would think it's strange to see a bat flying over their heads. Not even a bat that happens to fly into the dock doors and up into the rafters. Hard to fly though as a bat at night with all those forklifts going and engines running. Find the highest point, land in the darkness, and change into an animal that can see better without echo location..._

_Their operation was pretty smart, I can't hold it against them. The incoming freight trucks unloaded boxes of weapons and other goodies. I knew this from watching workers open and unload the goods, taking them over to tables to have them inspected. You don't make a good profit by selling shitty quality, especially in this city. Those were some pretty nasty weapons too, everything from H&K MP5s to Chinese AK-47s. What worried me the most was the inclusion of rocket-launched weapons. The usual mass-produced RPG-7s are pretty common but the newer RPG-29s were a sight to behold. I heard stories of them being used in the desert against US tanks in the Middle East... Strong enough to punch through a tank's armor, what kind of madman would Bulletface sell it to and for what?_

_There was no way I could take out all forty or so guys by myself, at least not in this persona. Beast Boy might but I wasn't Beast Boy now was I? What was important was I found a large cache of weapons, transportation, and more importantly I had a bargaining chip with the JCPD. The operation looked pretty tight, they wouldn't transfer soon unless something bad happened. I decided to come back in the morning, find out what I could do during the day if they were going to be this busy at night..."_

The next morning after breakfast, Gar finds himself standing by a payphone a block down from the warehouse. Coat abandoned this time, wearing only an old, Salvation Army-sold "FANTASY MIND BAR AND GRILL: BEST RIBS SINCE '93" white shirt and faded blue jeans, he seems more like white-trash than a vigilante. Foot tapping, the zippo opening and closing in his right hand, the phone still hasn't rung yet and things are going undone. So when the phone finally does ring, he has to restrain himself from cursing at the person on the other end of the phone in frustration.

_"Well you didn't waste any time, did you?"_ the voice of Rebecca Sinclair speaks over through the receiver, slightly tired. Eight A.M. comes quick for those without good sleeping habits after all.

"I didn't. The good news is I found the warehouse they're using to import the guns from." Looking at his watch, Gar continues "They shut down production around six this morning so it's mostly quiet at the moment. I don't know what time they open for business but I saw at least forty guys around the joint."

_"Security?"_

"Don't know how many but I saw some walking around with automatics. I had to use the roof to get a good look." Why give away a dual identity? After all, he _technically_ used the roofing to observe.

_"Fine then. If you're right, you find one of Bulletface's big drops for his goods. I can get the authorization but..."_

Business first. "Before we discuss that, I have a request regarding this place."

_"What kind of request?"_ sounds like she isn't too happy that Gar might dictate conditions.

"Keep the heavy artillery, rifles, machine guns, the works.. But I want a van's worth of hand-size explosives. Grenades, stun devices, smoke dispensers, and plastic explosives. Anything of this sort, I want in an unmarked van for my use. Last thing is one police-issue riot shotgun as well."

_"The department isn't going to just let a "private investigator" drive off with a large amount of dangerous explosives, Gar."_ The name inwardly warrants a curse at Jake for giving up his name so easily.

"Well then make it disappear the same way all the money you seize from drug busts go. The mayor has faith in what I'm doing so try and trust me with this, ma'am."

Sighing on the other end, this obviously isn't an easy thing to deal with this early in the morning. _"... Fine, we'll do it. But if this shit goes sour, I'm holding you responsible."_

Looking down towards the warehouse, Gar remarks "Make sure it looks like an accident. We can't have people know I'm helping you now can we?" Gar hangs up before she can retort, it isn't necessary. As long as the NJPD and JCPD do their jobs, there's no need for ego bruising is there?

The same time the next morning, Gar wakes up in a very plush bedroom to the sound of an alarm clock at 5:57am. Early so he can watch the six o'clock news on CBS 5, don't want to miss anything does he? Kris is already up, the smell of eggs and toast filling the air from the kitchen. Last night's plan should make the news more interesting to watch. In shorts only, Gar moves for the kitchen table to watch the broadcast, the scent of coffee growing by the second.

"Where were you last night?" Kristine asks, flipping the eggs. "I didn't hear you come in."

Wishing that coffee were done, the tired vigilante replies "Had some work to finish. They should be announcing it any second on the news."

... "What kind of work?"

The news indeed speaks for his own as the top story is announced.

_"The Bay Area awoke to a surprise this morning as the NJPD report that a warehouse in North Jump was raided last night in connection to an ongoing probe into weapons trafficking in Jump City. Police officials confirmed the involvement of the Jump City Police Department in helping to seize the facility and it's staggering cache of over four hundred and fifty weapons ranging from hand guns to large military bazookas. They say that the site was found on a fluke, of all things, due to an anonymous phone call received by the facility's main office sometime around midnight. With this raid, the combined police force of the Bay Area has dealt a blow to the growing black market and hopefully make the streets a little safer..."_

Coffee in his hand now, the hot liquid starts to bring his life back to full speed.

"You were there, weren't you?" Those eggs would be good if, ugghh.. they weren't made from chicken embryos.

"Of course not. I just helped things along AND got my cut of the profit." The matter-of-fact reply seems to unnerve Kris just a little bit. Seeing this, Gar tells her "Profits from the JCPD, not the gun money."

"And just what are you using that money for? You gonna start paying to live here?" she asks as she takes her seat at the table for breakfast.

Coffee in hand, Gar suggests "Better yet, how about we splurge on it and go out to a nice dinner downtown?"

Eyebrow still raised for a moment, she turns to her meal and remarks "Free-loader."

Bulletface has convened his top lieutenants to his "office", he wears a suit entirely made of black silk He looks more fit for a funeral than a business meeting. Daiyu, ever in black/white kimono behind him, looks on with a sour expression of her own. The six men in front of Bulletface, their suits just as black, look stern but also a bit nervous from the way they keep their eyes straight ahead and off of Bulletface.

The leader paces back and forth, not choosing to look at any of them, forsaking liquor, his head leaning down slightly in thought.

"Somehow..." he begins "the cops have discovered one of our North Jump operations." Nodding slightly, this way and that, figuring it out as he progresses. "Now, I'm not that bright of a man." Looking towards them all, he remarks "I mean, c'mon, with a face like this you wouldn't _THINK_ I'm that smart right?" The scar on his face for emphasis, not a man amongst the six doesn't feel a shiver run up their spine. "I SPECIFICALLY told those goons NOT to draw attention. THAT operation was to be as quiet and legit as POSSIBLE! WHO THE FUCK WOULD LOOK AT A GODDAMN PALLET FACTORY, HUH!"

No replies from the assembly, a wise decision.

Clearing his throat, Bulletface continues onward. "Now, it's obvious this "antonymous" caller is someone either inside our OWN group, a fact I highly doubt, or someone after our asses! As much as I hate to admit it, I think Mr. Antoine Desade pulled a fast one on us! He must think because we're in "his" city that we need a lesson.. Well, lady and gentlemen, this son of a bitch didn't drop out of JCU just to be told by some old, sadist _freak_ that I can't conduct business wherever the fuck I want." On a heel, Bryson turns towards his men. "I understand that you've done a good job in keeping our operations quiet to the point even the JCPD only knows a part of our organization. However, this BLATANT lack of security in letting Desade hit us is a serious concern to this bastard. Now," reaching into his coat pocket for a black Glock 39 pistol. Elbow bent, the gun faces upward while he asks "who amongst you should bare the responsibility of having one of MY operations closed down?"

While the Bulletface fires away, Garfield Logan is working away. No longer in North Jump, the young crimefighter is standing inside his garage on the Bay across from the Tower. The van has been long gone but it's cargo hasn't. Good thing Jake can keep a secret, the JCPD couldn't be trusted with knowing the location of this hideout. All it took was another two hundred dollars of "confiscated" drug money and North Jump's oddball investigator was all-too happy with helping.

There's enough C4, Mk. 67 Frags, MK3A2 concussives and so on to have a truly interesting 4th of July or an open war. The shotgun, a beauty of a Mossberg 590 given by the JCPD armory, should do well against any would-be irritants. Yup, the situation looks beautiful indeed. Bulletface must be furious, the JCPD'll be happy at the positive press, and Gar's first arming is going along smoothly.

Add to that is the visitor he finds entering through the rear window in the "living room". Walking out of the door, Gar casts her a glance and asks "See anyone suspicious out there?"

Jinx merely grins, remarking "Forget I used to be a criminal myself?"

Gaze still neutral, he retorts "How could I forget that? I'm trying to maintain a secret here, can't have my enemies blow this place up."

Her reply is cut off by the sight of all the explosives and grenades arranged on the floor in an orderly fashion. "Whoa.. what are you doing with all of this?"

Simply put, Gar answers "I'm going to war."

"No shit, I can see that. What are you gonna do with all of it though?"

"Some of it's for home defense. I'll probably use most of the flash and concussion grenades to defend my hideouts if someone tries to break in. The rest I plan to use to cripple Desade and Bulletface."

Looking back at her former teammate, Jinx notices the seriousness on his face. _"He's serious."_. "You're going to take on two of Jump's biggest crimelords with a garage full of grenades and explosives?"

"Yup."

"That's suicide." He must not be thinking too clearly. Maybe nine months on his own has fried his brain. "They're not some simple group you can just pummel into submission, Gar."

"Thanks for the heads up." sarcasm can't be avoided, it's not like he hasn't had this discussion with EVERYONE ELSE. "It's only a start anyway. I'll be using more and more of their own supplies as I continue." Eyebrow raised, Jinx seems a little perplexed. He fills her in with some pointers "Sun Tzu says one of the enemy's supply is worth twenty of your own. Why should I pay a ton of money, which I don't have, for six of these things when I can _steal_ them from a criminal for free?"

"Because that criminal will find you and put a bullet through your thick skull." Raven would be livid right now at this sight. Gar using weapons to injure, if not kill people, is just an unnatural sight to say the least.

Sighing, Gar looks to his friend and asks "Does it really matter then in the end? Does it really matter if someone's gonna make a profit off all this misery? Sell it to some fool in North Jump to blow away another fool who'll brag about it? I'd like to think what I'm about to do is doing what the Titans set out to do back in 2000. We're not here because we wanted to be needed.. but we are so why should we shrink from the call?"

A long pause fills the air between the two as the honest sincerity in his words sinks in Jinx's mind. This isn't the normal hero dribble Robin peddles back at the Tower nor the words your average 20 year old spouts off on a whim. He's serious. "Do you really think this will work? If you do this, you could lose everything. The Titans could kick out you, the JCPD will hunt you down.. if the gangs don't kill you first."

"One man against all of Jump City's crime might seem impossible but our kind makes a living on doing just that. The Titans will protect us from the masks, the Watchman will look over everyone else."

A nod on her part, the determination in his voice is genuine after all. "Well, you're gonna need help then. Someone who knows the underworld and people who can help hit them where it hurts."

This suggestion doesn't go unnoticed by Gar. "Jinx, I don't want you to get involved. It'll only put your own life in danger."

"Excuse me but I put my life in danger everyday when I fight those "masks", thank you very much. I'm only offering because... well... you're right. The Titans, especially Robin, won't go after the drugs and guns because the city says they can't. Fuck the city and fuck the Titans. If it makes this city better, and if there's someway I can help, then I'll do it. Shit, I owe this city don't I?"

"It won't be easy you know." Gar reminds. "By helping me, you put yourself at risk as well. Robin will have your head if he finds out you're helping me while on the Titans payroll."

"I don't give a shit about all of that, really. I only came to the team because I had no where else to go."

... Gar offers the first smile all day for her to see. "Just like me in 2000. Well, if we're gonna do this, I'd say some whiskey will seal the deal."

The young man disappears into the living room but Jinx's expression returns to a surprise. "Whiskey?"

"Yup, I picked it up from a friend of mine in North Jump. This Jameson's a good drink, really." Bottle in hand, he offers her the glass. "It'll be a lucky start to a good relationship. Hell, it's Irish ain't it?"

Eyeing the bottle, she shrugs before taking a gulp of the liquor. Pounding her chest from the heat, she coughs on the burning feeling spreading through her chest.

Bottle in hand, he tastes the sweet barley himself, also coughing on the alcohol. "It's an acquired taste."

A/N2: Gar's started by stealing some of Bulletface's product and, rather covertly, tapping Jinx for her underworld contacts. Robin will NOT be happy at having his teammate used as a contact (and possible help) by an ex-member "on leave". Bulletface's trademark anger is beginning to take shape, and he's not happy at Desade for this.. not that he did it but what does he know?

Trivia:  
- CBS 5 is a real CBS station in San Francisco.  
- "Jump City University" (JCU) is based on an SF college of which will not be named.

Rhetorical:  
What? You ACTUALLY thought Gar would take on 40 people by himself? No, no, no... he's smarter than you obviously.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Sorry for the wait, it's been a hectic week. I'm collaborating with my chaplain on making character art (Baptist and Rose can be seen on my deviantart page, Desade, Marin, and Void coming soon). The arc's coming along right, Gar's on his way to becoming who we all know him to be (although I guarantee none of you know how it happens). This is an interesting chapter, a lot of Sun Tzu (some direct, most indirect). The tension isn't just external, as Jinx will point out, it's the reality of life that will set things up... Any shippers in the house?

-

**Number One with a Bullet...**

September 26, 2007.

_"I don't know why Jinx wanted to help me. Sure she mentioned some "debt" to the city regarding her criminal past but she was doing just that with the Titans. Maybe she meant it when she wanted to stop the drugs and guns like I was doing but I couldn't be too sure. I figured the best way to keep her out of trouble was to connect me with sources throughout the Bay Area; criminal contacts, informants, anyone with information that I could tap if I needed it. She wanted to do more, be more proactive, but I wasn't going to turn this operation into a League if you catch my drift. She'd be bitter at me for using her help like this but politics, especially superhero politics, is a very tricky (and aggravating) thing._

_I wouldn't have to wonder about this for long. On the 25th, I got a phone call from the big man himself. Desade wanted to thank me, belated, for taking care of his daughter. Not that I really enjoyed myself but it was better than receiving a death threat. Anyway, it was the conversation afterwards that made things interesting._

_"You're a North Jump man. You've probably heard about Bulletface Bryson's recent woes with the NJPD?"_

_Of course I had but I wouldn't make it sound too obvious. Obvious gets you killed. "I saw it on the news."_

_"They say the caller didn't give them a name." He was fishing but this animal wasn't going to bite._

_"Sounds like someone didn't like the way they did business. Maybe one of his own didn't like his job anymore."_

_That chuckle on the other end gave it away. That low, "I get what you mean" kind your friends let you know when they can smell the shit coming off your boot. "Maybe they didn't. Still, that leaves the situation a little tense in your side of the Bay. Some of my associates would feel better if someone from North Jump could ease their worries."_

_Proposal time. We both knew the score but what I didn't know was the reason why... "That would depend on who the associate is. I'm an investigator, negotiation isn't my forte."_

_"I'll leave that one for you to find out. Get yourself something to write with because you're taking a walk downtown."_

_555 California Street, the second tallest structure in Jump City after that Transamerica Pyramid building in Downtown. Ironic that Desade would send me to the most unassuming area of Jump City to meet someone probably just as twisted as he is. The irony only intensified as I noted the corporate signs in the lobby. "WAYNETECH", "LexCorp", and "Void Enterprises" stood out the most. From the moment I spotted that "Void" sign, I knew this wasn't going to end pleasantly. Still, like a good trooper, I pressed the elevator button and waited for my lift to take me up into the sky..."_

Good thing Gar isn't wearing his usual hobo look. No doubt security would be suspicious to see a man in a tan duster, faded jeans, and roughed up black shirts walking into a busy office building. Just because 9/11 happened on the East Coast doesn't mean it can't happen here. Nope, the black button-down and jeans will have to do. Sure it's not formal but is this a fashion contest? Funny how not a single person has tried to stop him. He just walks through the offices, looking for the boss's place, without a single security guard reaching for their radio. Either this place is really lax or _very_ tightly run. Still, it doesn't take much longer for Gar to find his target. Even as he reaches the door, it seems the coast is clear... until a rather large man, with the most stoic face Gar has ever seen, blocks his passage.

"Who are you?" Jesus, the guy sounds like a robot. Is there no emotion in this building?

"I'm here to talk to the boss. I'm from North Jump." Gar retorts, Desade's instructions coming to mind. He was right about one thing: this guy looks like three-hundred fifty pounds of brawn and a dollar eighty-four in brains.

"Who sent you?"

Eyes narrowing, Gar refrains from answering with a "yo mama" comment. "An angry French man with issues."

_"God damn it, Xavier, let the man in!"_ a voice shouts from the office, the man inside seemingly ticked off his guard's taking so long.

Glance passed at Xavier, Gar motions for the door. "Do you mind?"

No reply, retort, or response. Just opens the door with that cold, stoic expression on his face. No personality at all..

Sitting at the front of a glass desk sits the man in charge of it all: Arthur Void. His blue and black suit matches his gelled, short black hair. The smug grin on his face seems alien next to the image he presents to the media. Then again, the man in the chair before him very rarely sees the media in a positive light. A Chinese man with a gray suit, his hair neatly trimmed and slicked, turns to the new arrival with a look of confusion etched on his face.

"Take it easy, Mao." Void offers, his hand raising to keep the Triad leader from jumping to his feet. "He's here on official business, not to cause disruptions. Isn't that correct?"

"Yeah, you can say that."

Standing up anyway, Mao turns to Gar and asks curtly "Official business or not, you have not revealed your name!"

Gaze turning to a glare, Gar retorts "We're both in the dark about the other. How about you introduce yourself and I'll return the favor?"

Void palms his face as the two bicker before him.

"You are the one who is barging into our meeting! I demand to know your identity!" Mao berates, his anger growing with each second.

"Fine, if you want to make a deal out of it. My name's Gar and that's all you need to know."

Eyebrow raised, Mao asks "Only Gar?"

"Yeah so what's your name then?"

"I am Mao... and that is all you need to know as well."

His eye also raised, Gar suggests "Only Mao?"

Clearing his throat, Void calls for the two to sit. "Ok, the intros are over, let's get back to the real issue at hand?"

Adjusting the collar of his suit coat, Mao agrees with this while Gar moves to the other seat. No sense having a fight over something as trivial as courtesy.

"Now, as I understand it, the NJPD and JCPD got it into their heads to go after one of Bulletface's warehouses, that much everyone knows."

Gar's expression doesn't change despite the revelation that Void has more inside knowledge than he'd ever guess.

"What we don't know is _how_ they got this knowledge. _Anonymous_ phone call... bullshit, I don't believe in that word." But didn't he just wink at that word? "Someone made the call from the inside and it'd be VERY nice to find out who." Void's attention turns to Gar. "Now, Antoine tells me you happen to be a private investigator or something like that, right?"

"Yup."

Looking to Mao, Void also asks "And you're sure about what Daiyu said?"

"She has been quite clear with us. Unlike her boss, we can rely on her word."

_"Daiyu? Who the hell is that?"_

"Okay, if you think she's square with us then I'll believe you." Void snaps his fingers in the air, bringing Gar's attention back to the man in charge. "Someone's trying to fuck with Bulletface and I can't have that in this city. Do you know how _expensive_ it is to run a company like this in California?"

Mao speaks up before Gar can reply. "Do you know how expensive it is to keep the police from raiding our businesses?" Void's attitude already grates on Mao's nerves but he'll suffer no complaints about _economy_. "We have worked very hard to secure our future stock in this city. If there is someone working to overthrow that, we cannot allow them to continue."

"I hear you, Mao. That's where Magnum comes in." Pointing at Gar, Void throws the question quick and fast. "Can you catch him?"

"Who?"

"The guy who's trying to fuck with us. It's the only reason you're in here instead of some cheating wife's room right now." Nice jab at the investigator job, Jake would love to take a chair over his head for it.

"That depends on the investment. How much are we talking about here?"

Void points at Mao, let the man worried about money discuss prices instead. "We are willing to give you twenty-five thousand if you can find the man who has done this."

That's a lot of money for just _one_ warehouse being knocked over. A LOT considering it's not even a Triad business. "Twenty-five? That's awfully high for one break-in, isn't it?"

"Mr. Bryson is not a man who tolerates failure."

"So, the offer's twenty-five thousand." Void remarks, leaning back in his chair. "Gar's right, that's a LOT even with Bryson's anger issues."

"Excuse me," Gar asks the two before the conversation wraps up "what about Antoine? Isn't it possible one of his guys are behind it?"

"Explain yourself." Mao demands.

Smile etching onto his Void's face, the CEO is curious himself. "Yes, do tell."

"Bulletface seems to be moving operations into North Jump. Hell, I even heard a rumor he's planning on hijacking the port operations at the NJ Port Authority. Wouldn't he stand to gain if the police start taking down Bulletface businesses in that side of the Bay Area? Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if one of his goons snuck in there and called the police then snuck out."

"But wouldn't he be inviting a war if he did that?" Void asks, still reclining but much more relaxed than Mao appears to be.

"That man stands to lose a lot of money if Bulletface starts making progress. Wasn't it Sun Tzu who said never put your enemy's back to the wall for he'll fight without fear of death?"

Looking to Mao, impressed, Void asks the Triad leader "Think the kid's onto something?"

"I would say it is an interesting possibility. My question is how do we proceed from here?"

_"Later that night, I went ahead with my plans despite what happened at Void's office. I couldn't stand either one, Mao or Void, but sometimes deception is a better precursor before destruction... and I was already done deceiving for the day. Jinx met up with me in Downtown, rooftop seats for what was to come. During one of my sweeps through the Port in North Jump, I found myself an interesting little discovery. I already knew which of the docks the Desades used for delivery but only later did I find out where the moving trucks were coming from. Four trucks a night, each parked during the day in a garage Downtown, would load up the supplies and deliver them to a cut-and-bag joint somewhere in the region. I figured having Jinx along for the ride might persuade her from "helping" me any further."_

"So you called me out of the tower at ten in the evening... just to sit on this cold-ass roof, with a cold-ass breeze, watching a boring-ass dockyard at work?" Jinx asks, obviously bothered by the surroundings. For the sake of his Gar's cover, she's gone through the decency of donning civilian clothes and using her magics to change her appearance. Brown hair and peach skin hides better than bubblegum and pale white. The height will keep them out of sight but it still doesn't take away the fact that they've been nothing for the past ten minutes. "I'd hate to imagine just how you'd do a date with a woman if this is your idea of..."

"They happen to be loading White Rabbit onto those trucks. Drugs that will cost more and more civilians their lives." Gar replies, ignoring her complaints about the weather and locale. "We're actually here to make sure everything works correctly."

Eyes rolling, she counters "What? You making sure those cranes work properly? I thought you said you were going to war? If your idea of a war's just watching a bunch of dock workers all day then I'd say you live a boring life."

With a "hmm", Gar informs the witch-in-disguise "Actually my life's been pretty interesting as of late. Corrupt CEOs, a budding gang struggle between guns and drugs, living day to day... Certainly better than chasing second-rate masks."

Pink eyes glare though his green ones don't meet her's. "Excuse me?"

"It's true. This is much more interesting than getting my ass thrown around by Cinderblock or Plasmus. More rewarding, the pay is excellent, and you meet some... funny individuals."

Vein growing on her forehead, all it'd take is a fist to shut this arrogant ass up. "Oh _REALLY_? You're not doing a damn thing! We've been sitting up here for almost fifteen minutes and so far you haven't even hinted at going down there and stopping them."

Humor in his eyes fading, Gar asks simply "Is that what you think we should do? Go down there, make a scene, announce our presence?"

"We hit them with my hex magic and your animal changing. We can take this whole operation out right now." Why is Gar waiting anyway? There aren't _that_ many goons.

No more humor now, no mirth nor grin on that once-green face. "Robin would do that, wouldn't he? Make up a one-liner as he throws his bird-a-rangs, knock out their guns. Beat them up and call the police. It'd look great in the papers if we did it, huh?"

As much as she'd like to shout a "yes!", the fact that Gar doesn't look so aloof concerns her a little bit. "It would. Hell, you don't even need to say it was me. Who knows how many metas are in this city we don't know about?"

"_Beast Boy and newcomer take out Desades drug-smuggling operation at North Jump Port_... it'd look great in big, bold letters. Sell a lot of newspapers, the net would be in a buzz.. Yeah.."

"C'mon, we can do it!" Jinx pleads, maybe she's getting through to him?

... "But then... the mayor sees my green face on the paper, grinning for the camera. The very persona she FORBADE me to use in taking down the Desades. Without their port contacts, the Desades lose their best source and go on a rampage. The Titans have just caused them their life-blood and now people will pay for it in their own blood. The Bulletface Gang and the Triad remain in business, I get taken off the case, and the city's plunged into a 2 or 3-way brawl between gangs..." Jinx's face loses it's hope with each sentence Gar speaks... Looking at the witch, Gar asks "I will have spent nine months in North Jump and six months of training from a friend for nothing. My cover will be blown, the bad guys go free, and I'll be removed from the Titans regardless. So, my answer to going down there right now, is no."

Jinx opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out. Looking away from him, she instead focuses on the trucks below. They're nearly done loading their goods, they'll be off soon. "So when do you plan on attacking them? Wait until the leave the dockyards then jump them en route?"

"Nope." A grin slides onto his face. "I attacked them ten hours ago."

Snapping her eyes back to him, the most peculiar expression of confusion on her face, she asks startled "Wait, _ten hours ago_? What's that supposed to mean?"

Grin growing wider on his face, Gar pulls a detonator out of his inner coat pocket. "RDX, Cyclonite, C4, whatever you'd like. All sitting under the rear of each truck, just WAITING to go off. I found where they parked these things, slipped in this morning, and rigged them to blow."

Jinx simply stares at the man next to her, unsure of how to take this development. This isn't the same person she knew all these years. He was so goofy, so aloof.. air headed even. He'd use his animal powers to fight, not guns or explosives like Cyborg or Robin. "Gar...?"

The trucks finish their loading and begin to pull out. Jinx's eyes move back towards the convoy with a feeling of despair filling her heart.

"Strike like a lightning bolt, leave like the thunder."

Back in Downtown, Gar and Jinx take a moment to sort out tonight's events. The glances she'd been shooting him all night seem confused now, mixed with a tinge of sadness almost. The way he spoke when he blew up those four trucks, the seriousness of the consequences of going back to Beast Boy... It's barely been a year since Paris and yet he's a totally different person.

"They should thank me if they ever find out I did it." Gar remarks, tossing the detonator down a garbage chute on a building roof. "I only put enough to take out the drugs and the trucks but not enough to kill the drivers."

"Gar... what happened to you? This isn't like you at all.." she asks, desperate. What would Raven say? Robin.. Star.. they'd be floored by this.

Sighing, he takes a moment to think of the right answer... but is there ever really a right answer? "White Rabbit opened my eyes that night. How could I ignore an entire culture of crime in favor of a small, eccentric bunch that are just as fucked up as we are?"

"What...?"

"Face it, the masks and us.. we're all messed up in the head in one way or another. It's probably the reason we've never actually killed each other, just played this game of cat and mouse all these years.. But these drug cartels, gun runners... They're not like that. They'd kill us and anyone else to get their way, even each other. The masks might be a dangerous but these gangs are like cancer.. It won't kill you right away but over time, they become worse than anything a mask will throw at you. So, after that night, I decided to do something about that cancer."

"Even if it kills you?"

"You told me you stay with the Titans to earn the city's forgiveness, right? Well I'm doing it for the same reason but a little different than you. I'm asking their forgiveness for letting them down for the past six years by now going after these bastards."

While this makes sense to Jinx, it raises one interesting question in her head about his methods. "I understand where you're coming from but... Outside of Scarecrow and Light, you've only been going after gangs, right? Actually the only ones you've talked about are the ones that were responsible for you getting drugged in the first place... Are you doing this.. for revenge then?"

Hearing that word, that idea in his head.. Gar turns his back for a moment, facing the city he's fighting so hard for. Is he? Could it be it's a disguise for revenge rather than justice?

... "Maybe, I'm not gonna pretend that I don't _like_ getting back at these bastards. But if you believe in something, believe in it to the end. That's what Q taught me. A man might not be anything special but I'm not really a human now am I?" Turning back to his friend, Gar asks "I'm an animal.. I've been an animal for the past thirteen years now, an animal in a human form. And animals protect their territory, human or animal... The Bay Area is my home, my territory.. so I'll protect it as long as I'm physically able to do so."

Through pink eyes she can see the fire in his own orbs, that passion for justice that Robin always speaks about during their meetings. Boy Wonder could stand to learn from this. How far would he go... how far would _any_ of them go to fulfill their mandate to protect the city? You don't find a man like this very often, even if he does call himself an animal.

"Hey," she starts, this topic's getting a little too heavy "it's been a long night." Offering a smirk on her lips, she motions her head towards the ocean (where a garage is waiting unused). "Wanna kill the rest of that Jameson?"

His grin returning as well, he asks "I thought you didn't like the taste?"

"I could get used to it. It's not so bad once you've been around it long enough."

A/N2: Finally got chap 2 out of the way. We're over 95,000 words now (out of a project 300-500 thousand) and I must say, it feels a LOT better than "The Watchman" did. I re-read that story the other night and it felt entirely cartoony, almost slapstick at times... If this draft's Gar met the first draft's "Watchman", I think he'd stick the shotgun in his face, make him eat some Comp B, and make him apologize for not trying harder to stop Desade before blowing him up... And unlike that "Watchman", this Gar isn't afraid to make use of his "options"... a little Spirit, perhaps?

Trivia:  
- 555 California Street and Transamerican Pyramid are San Fran's two largest buildings (not in that order)  
- Numerous references to Sun Tzu's "Art of War"  
- Void's commentary about "anonymous" and wink are for Anonymous Void (the creator of the character), long-time reviewer.  
- I think Gar channeled some "V for Vendetta" when he told Jinx "I attacked them ten hours ago", a reference to V telling the doctor "I killed you ten minutes ago."

Rhetorical: Jinx, Kristine, Rose... Raven possibly one day? Get this fool a cape, cane, and Cadillac...


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: With this chapter, we are now over 100,000 words. And this chappie is a doosy. This is an emotional chapter, you'll understand at completion. Gar's finally in the mess of not just gang-war but... well... the heart is a horrible thing to fuck up. Damn rambling. I would've had this up yesterday or the day before but I GOT ME SOME WOOFERS FOR THE CAR! BASS, FOOL! Anyway, enjoy.

-

**Number One with a Bullet...**

October 1, 2007.

The weather outside of the diner isn't as pleasant as the days prior. Umbrellas, lots of them, hide their owners as they pass by without casting a gaze inside. Why should they? It's not as though the joint is busy this early in the morning. Outside of a few other patrons by the window, only one man sits at the counter. Duster wrapped around his body, he gingerly sips on a black cup of coffee, watching the news on the television mounted on the wall.

_"By the start of October, I found myself sitting on a barstool in one of Jump City's diners with a coffee in hand. The egg wrap was still in the back being made though I didn't mind the extra quiet time it gave me. Yes, I said "egg wrap"... I finally cracked one night in August when Kris made eggs one morning. That night I hadn't eaten in over a day and the morning-after buzz was still running strong from that night of Jameson. Some part of me, probably the one that gave in and decided to use explosives in combat, nudged me into thinking that, unlike beef and other meats, the chick was already dead inside..._

_The news was pretty boring that day as I recall. My little action in North Jump a few days prior had gone largely dismissed as "an accident under investigation" by the Bay Area authorities. Antoine Desade was probably furious just as much as Bulletface was at that point but I couldn't be sure. Neither called me since that meeting with Mao and Void; that was just fine by me. To be honest, after the aggravation that Chinese hardass and that crooked CEO gave me, they should be happy I didn't blow up their entire dock. Jinx might've been even more pissed, or shocked, if I did that but... She'd get over it pretty fast. _

_My little speech about fighting the good fight, even if it kills me, must've hit her a little hard but she bounced back well. Hell, she bounced back well enough to kill half of the Jameson bottle with me. I had to admit, I wasn't exactly in the world's best condition after that binge. By the time the booze disappeared, it was near two in the morning and I doubt either of us were in a condition to head back to the Tower. So she stayed at that garage with me... It felt strange, that's for sure. Not the whole "she used to be my enemy" thing, I'd gotten over that long ago. It was two things that brought that feeling on. The most obvious one was this was Kris. We weren't dating but we had something akin to a "normal" relationship growing by the day. The other thing was the reality that Jinx was the one looking for company while I technically wasn't. I think Kid Flash was her first fling in a long time and he left for home back in December; scars of the heart take longer to heal than those of the skin. _

_I don't think the whiskey wasn't a good idea though. Maybe they were right and that stuff was just trouble waiting to happen... but it was the look in her eyes that got to me. That glassy expression you get after one-too-many shots of Irish liquor along with the nagging feeling you shouldn't do something but the booze has your mind at gunpoint. We laid on that couch, dusty as it was, wrapped in my trench coat. Hell, we had to because, let me tell you, that Pacific wind wasn't making things any warmer. I wasn't drunk enough to lose control but... I damn sure wasn't intoxicated enough to know that she became the first woman I'd ever kissed. Kris didn't have that distinction, Rose didn't, Raven wouldn't either.. it was a pink-haired witch that happened to trust a rogue vigilante more than her own teammates in the Titans."_

"Here you go, egg wrap with extra toast."

Eyes peeling away from the TV, Gar thanks her, looking down at the plate before him. This might not be the world's most hearty breakfast but it'll do well enough to last through the morning.

_"I didn't have much on the agenda today outside of just letting the JCPD know they had a rat in the house. They're not to keen on the idea of gangs using Jump City property as armories if you know what I mean. Fortunately the place in question was a building I followed one of those four trucks to a few days prior. To their credit, the Jump City gangs sure know how to hide their businesses quite well. You pass by, day or night, and they look like your average businesses and factories. Of course, the closer you get, the quicker you realize they're anything but clean and friendly. Ever since Bulletface lost his newest warehouse in North Jump, he made sure to keep guard dogs on site._

_It could be tricky sneaking into this building, especially with those bloodhounds sniffing out anyone suspicious. How would they tell though? Unless they had my scent, and they didn't, it'd be hard for them to even know I was there to cause trouble. Ignoring the dogs and the obvious goons, the real trouble would be how to stop this operation without alerting the JCPD, the gangs, or the Titans. The JCPD raiding them would get the Bulletface Gang thinking Desade wasn't involved; the JCPD would come under media fire to expose their insider; and the Titans might have to deal with an angry uproar from the gangs demanding the identity of this "terrorist masking as a mask". Not good for my situation at all if everything went to shit. Thankfully I had lady luck on my side.. even if it dealt with the bad."_

_"Jump City Hyatt isn't normally the kind of place you'd see someone like me walk into. Inside it's obvious that it's one of the finest hotels in Jump City and could stake a claim to be one of the most beautiful. At the end of that long, front hall, a giant painting of Jump City Bay at dusk dominates the room. Hell, just stepping on that caramel-colored tile makes your feet fell richer. You can't hear the rain off those glass domes but how could you, they're many stories above you. Those bellhops look busy, moving luggage about, hell on one passed me by mere inches. Glad I got a real job instead of this monkey work. Then again, my real attention was held by the women working the front desk, all four of them. Two blondes, a brunette, and a fire red-head of a woman at the end of the counter speaking with a customer. Forget the two blondes, they could tell who I was interested in. The brunette, as I've been warned before, was "off limits" so it's off to the woman at the end. I couldn't resist a smile as the customer walks away while her face turns into a half-glare..."_

"You're wet." No need to pretend to be nice, it's obvious who this freeloader is. "Don't tell me you walked all the way from North Jump?"

"Nope, just from the subway. That bay isn't fun to walk across when it's raining like this."

Glare still holding strong, she answers dryly "I wouldn't know."

"You ok? You seem a little...?"

Eyes shifting towards the brunette, who happens to be coming towards them, Kris groans "Her boyfriend was just here. I swear he makes you look like a saint."

Gar.. a saint? "I take offense to that."

Interruption coming fast, the new arrival asks a bit more chipper than Kristine. "Hey, is _he_ the one you were talking about?"

"She talks about me? What kind of evil swill does she peddle behind my back?" Gar asks, smile growing only a little under Kris's fiery gaze.

Smirk on her face, the woman replies kindly "She says you're trouble with a capital T."

"Your boyfriend's trouble, _he_'s just a freeloader." Kris reminds, glaring at her co-worker.

"Jake's only being a goof because he knows I'm here. Trust me, he behaves himself when I'm not around."

Gar looks to Kris, then back to the woman, back to Kris... holds a laugh with his mouth... finally loses it and lets out a laugh. Not your average quiet laugh but one that has most of the room looking your way, echoing all the way up to the fifteenth floor. "Are you kidding me? _You're_ the one Jake told me about?"

Kris palms her face while Gar tries to ease his laughter. "You know my Jake?"

"_Know_ him? Yeah, you could say that." the ex-Titan remarks, laughing fading to a wide grin. "Whew, he's every bit a saint as I am."

No more of this shit, it's been an odd enough day with Jake and now Gar. "Hey, Sarah, could you give me a minute with him please? I think I'm gonna kick his ass out the door myself."

Who cares if the customers bitch about her lighting up a smoke, the situation calls for it. Gar lights her cigarette with his zippo, the two of them standing outside the front doors. Under the walkway covering, she inhales the tobacco with a sharp inhale then gentle exhale. Such a dreary, lifeless day.. good sleeping weather. "So do you have a reason to be here or are you just freeloading as usual? I'm _NOT_ getting you a hotel room neither. You want a room then you're paying for it on your own."

"Actually I came to ask if you'd like Italian or Chinese tonight." The zippo still in hand, opening and closing from time to time, the question is straight and honest. The humor seems vacant from what it once was inside the lobby.

"You getting take out?" Another car, a BMW in fact, with their rich clients heading for the front door. Must be nice to be rich.

The smallest of smirks crossing his lips, he replies "It'd be nice to spend a nice, quiet night home for once. Have some dinner, forget about fighting drug gangs and arms dealers, relax and enjoy the peace."

"You mean a nice home for you. I'm there every night, with or without you." Big puff of the smoke, watch that gray mist fade into the rain not more than five feet away.

Point taken. "I know, and I'm sorry about that, but I don't think I'll be needing to do this for much longer."

"Hmm?"

"Once this business with the Desades and Bulletface wraps up, I won't need to keep doing this "hero" thing. I can just retire, get a job, help pay some of the bills." Offering her a smile, he suggests "I don't want to be a freeloading homewrecker forever, with or without you."

Pausing for a moment, eyeing up the man before her, she takes this thought into her head. Nodding slightly, bemused, she tells him "It's not polite stealing someone's sarcasm."

"Neither is quoting a U2 song but I meant it."

One last drag of the cig, she flicks it into the pavement and tells him. "Bring me some non-vegan Chinese. That means I want the egg roll too, can you remember that?"

Smile, even though the thought of buying spare ribs is enough to make him cringe, he agrees. "I'll make sure they get ya a good fortune cookie."

For the first time in their four months of knowing each other, she gives him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Don't be out too late then. Nine o'clock sounds nice. _Don't_ forget to bring the Jameson either; you drank the last of mine last time."

The idea of Jameson, normally an in-joke, has Gar sporting a fake-grin. Jinx was there for his last _real_ taste of Jameson after all. "Freeloader..." he reminds.

_"Luck was a lady that night, that was for sure. Two ways about it too, I had myself some good luck in one and bad in the other. The bad luck came when eight o'clock popped onto my wristwatch and Jinx and I were ready to move in. Whatever happened in my garage that night, she decided to keep it on the down low while we did our thing. We didn't need to be thinking about getting shitfaced one night when we were about to wreck havoc on one of Bryson's warehouses._

_The plan was rather simple: she'd raise the noise, I'd set the building ablaze. She could handle guard dogs and years of acrobatics could help her dodge the gunfire. While the goons kept their eyes on her, I'd sneak and plant some pretty packages on their gas and electrical lines. You don't have to destroy a place every night but as long as you keep them off-balance, running back and forth all the time, they'll grow tired and ripe for the picking. If anything, I'd say I was employing more guerrilla tactics in those days than I was grand strategy. "Armies cannot win if they lose, Guerrillas cannot lose if they win." as Mao Tse-Tung said it._

_Her diversion worked well. Most of the armed goons took the bait, the dogs let off their leashes, and the attention all aiming towards the Jump City Bay and Jinx. Not that they knew it was Jinx, all they could see was a woman in black clothes and black hair, bounding along and avoiding their gunfire like a wraith. Their bullets always seemed to miss as if magically distorted from their course. She'd be fine as long as I got my end of the job done._

_Through the doors of the warehouse, past the guards keeping their eyes away from the shadows, the weapons of choice were ready for use. No coat tonight, only a black wool coat I found at the Salvation Army. The black baseball cap would keep my hair and, for now, my eyes away from sight, I didn't look like Gar "Watchman" Logan from a distance and I was very thankful for that. The workers inside seemed to panic at the gunfire but not enough to be deter ed from their goal. I'd make sure they'd shit themselves once the lights blew out, that was for sure..."_

The power generator and gas lines aren't that hard to manipulate. Two slabs of small-yet-blistering clay explosives should do it. Wired with a detonator, it should be an easy task once the coast's clear. Unfortunately, this isn't the case.

A hammer pulls back, sounds rather heavy. .357-chambered 6-shot staring down his back, Daiyu aims her silver and black Colt Python with precision.

"Back away, slowly, with your hands on your head." she warns, the gun is already primed and ready to fire. .357, at a range of ten feet, would mutilate Gar before he could shapeshift and evade the shot.

Wordlessly Gar complies, taking slow steps back with his hands firmly on his cap. The sound of gunfire outside seems to be continuing... Jinx must still be active.

"I don't know what you hope to accomplish but you have made the enemy of the wrong people. Who do you two work for?"

No reply, even at five feet away now, only silence.

"Answer me or this will be your last living breath."

As if... "Have I tread within the walls of a Triad home instead?"

The surprise is quickly diminished as the gun is begging to be fired that much more. "No, you have invaded a business of Bulletface Bryson."

"And yet you sound Chinese to me."

This aggravating voice.. How dare he mock her heritage! "Turn around and reveal yourself!"

Taking a breath, Gar asks a simple request "Since you're about to blow my head off, mind if I have a smoke as you do it?"

A cigarette.. now? "Turn around first then you may."

Gar agrees finally, turning about but lowering his hands once he gets there. Ignoring her warnings and the VERY large gun in front of him, he snags his zippo and two of Kris's smokes. Eyebrow raised, he holds the three up for Daiyu to see. "See ma'am? Just a zippo and two Kools." Putting one on his lip, he holds the other in his left hand's fingers for her to see. "Got one for you too."

"I don't want it. Light your cigarette and put your hands back on your head."

Shrugging, Gar puts the other cig away so he can light the stick in his lips. As it smokes, he puts the zippo away... and as slow as his hands raise, the cherry grows brighter and brighter.

"Anyone ever tell you..." Gar speaks, muffled with the light on his lip "that you'd make Lucy Liu cry tears of jealousy from how good you look? That black kimono really brings out your eyes..."

The flattery only goes skin deep, he's yet to put his hands on his head. "Shut up and get moving."

A chuckle before Gar complies. "Will do." Quick as a cat, his hand snags the smoke from his lips and throws it at her face. Instincts kick in as the first shot is fired over his head, her attention taken away from him long enough to let him dodge..

...

With all the attention outside, no one's near enough to hear the two brawl inside of the power room. Gar might be a good brawler outside of his animal forms but Daiyu is pretty good at deflecting and countering his moves. To his credit Gar did manage to remove her gun before she could fire a second round and blow them to kingdom come (the C4 is STILL armed!). A kick to his sternum has him surprised but not enough to let her land a fist across his face. Weaving in and around each other's blows, it only takes a lunge from Gar to throw her off her stance. Losing his footing, the two crash against a locker and onto the concrete floor.

"Fuck you're good." Gar blurts out, her hand-to-hand combat skills MUCH better than Desade/Bulletface's regular goons. "Who the hell are you, lady?"

"My name..." she kicks him hard in the ribs once but misses the second as he rolls forward and up to his feet. "... is Daiyu. The Black Jade of the Bulletface Gang."

"Well I have a few names myself but PLEASE don't call me late to dinner." Oh no, she's not getting his name THAT easily.

"_Really_?" she taunts, reaching into her hair and produces two chopstick-shaped knives.

Gar is clearly surprised by this change of events. "Whoa whoa.. I thought they were just hair pins!"

She sneers at him a moment before charging in for the kill. He's nimble but she's relentless: the irresistible force meeting the untouchable object.

One thrust, two, the movements seem to be draining on their respective lungs but neither will back down without a victory. As she brings a blade towards his heart, the hunting boot knife finds a use finally in blocking one of them away. The other is stopped by Gar's hand grasping her wrist, their bodies a mere hair away from the other.

"You're fucking amazing!" Gar tells her, their eyes glaring into the other's. Of course, his green orbs seem more excited than her enraged dark, narrow ones.

"Your style is sloppy and too reliant on your eyes." she warns, bringing the left knife dangerously close from swiping his eyes out.

Taking her other arm in his wrist, pulling them down and away from his chest, he tells her with a smirk on his face "What can I say? You're a hell of a sight for tired, sore eyes."

"You talk too much." she hisses at him, actually headbutting him to release his hold on her wrists. "I will not let you leave alive for these insults."

Might be true. Gar only has time to leap forward again, rolling over to the corner where the gun is lying. By the time he turns the revolver on Daiyu, she has her knives ready to pierce his heart from arm's length away. Only the barrel at her stomach keeps her from finishing the job.

"Don't make me do this." Gar warns, killing isn't his style to begin with. Killing a woman might just earn him a place in the coldest section of hell.

"If you don't, I will cut out your eyes." Hell bent on getting his eyes, huh? What a woman..

"Well, before you try, make sure you cover your's." he warns, all seriousness in his tone.

Her angry expression only turns to confusion. He wouldn't dare... But oh does he. His other hand holds the detonator open, a fact she hadn't noticed until this second.

"Kill me and this bomb still goes off. Do you want to be here when the C4 blows this room to China?"

Outside, Jinx wraps up with the last of the goons who tried to fight her hand-to-hand. Her boot kicking one man across the face, his moans are silenced in earnest. The dogs don't seem to be in a bad place... even if they did get trapped by that falling, open container. Bad luck...

BOOM! Yup, that's the signal... "Took him long enough." As the secondary explosions begin to rock the building, the fact that Gar doesn't emerge is worrying. Still, the plan has worked, time to get out of there. Gar said he'd call, didn't he?

Eight forty-five in North Jump, Gar lands on the rooftops, collapsing to the ground with a moan and a thud. Coat battered, torn through and through from Daiyu's knives and the blast, he curses his luck. It figures Bulletface would have an Ace up his sleeve like that... and what a hottie too! Still, the obsession with cutting out his eyes seemed a bit much. Touch of the earpiece, a phone call needs to be made.

"Jinx?"

_"Gar... oh you son of a bitch! Where the hell are you, I thought you were dead!"_

"Don't worry, I'm ok... kinda... Ran into a crazy woman inside, one of Bulletface's hired guns I think. She gave me a good fight so I had to blow the C4 a little close for comfort."

_"Did you kill her?"_

Pffft.. "Of course not. She'll be pissed though when she realizes I kept her .357. I'll call ya later when I hear what's going down, ok?"

_"Ok, be careful Gar. Something about that place didn't seem right to me."_

"I know, it didn't feel right to me either. Have a good night's sleep, ok?"

_"Yeah, a lonely bed on a cold night... You're a tease, you know that?"_

Faking a cough, Gar mutters "Sorry... losing reception... tunnel..." CLICK

Not that taking to Jinx right now isn't great but there's fifteen minutes left before he needs to be at the house and he ain't got no Chinese food.

-  
_  
"I called Kris and warned her I'd be late, that I just got into town. Maybe she got herself some whiskey early because she didn't seem to mind. Hell, she told me to bring whatever I wanted, she'd be awake when I got there. At the time all I could think about was "Thank fucking God." After a tough-ass brawl in the Bulletface warehouse, with that crazy Chinese chick trying to gouge my eyeballs, and nearly getting blown up by C4, I could use an easy night._

_Getting the Chinese food wasn't that hard, these people will work double-tough for half the pay a normal cook gets. Not to mention they make some of the best tasting rice and noodles any man raised on vegetables could ask for. Just don't try to argue or haggle with them, they will put even Superman in the bitch. Big Blue would get maybe two sentences in before the cook would come out, swinging that clever, and yelling in Chinese or Korean that he'd be cutting up "Kryptonite Poison Fugu fish for pushy customer to choke on!" Just pay the cashier your twelve seventy-two for the meals and get the hell out. Hell, I've probably been a few of the animals they make the spare ribs out of, I think I heard them tell a customer "You want Peking Duck that goes Quack Quack well it don't, it goes "Woof woof""_

_Up those steps, the body hurts more and more with each fight. Nagging injuries, subtle tears of the ligaments and muscles. Age comes quick when you get thrown through windows, concrete floors, wooden tables... Finally at the door, a knock and wait for help getting the food into the kitchen..._

_Imagine my surprise when I opened the door and a red-head pounced on me. I didn't have a chance to gasp before her lounge made it's way into my mouth; her body wrapping around mine.. I had to drop the food just to keep us from falling over. This was all new to me... and that's a fucking understatement! Hell, when I tried to ask what was going on, she told me to shut up and bring the food in. I did as told, that voice in my head was starting to sound a little bit more like an animal than a man's. What the hell was going on with women and me around then? Jinx... Rose... even Daiyu seemed surprised by me... and then I had Kris ripping my clothes off before we could even fall back to the bedroom... Jinx brought the bad luck, Kris was about to make my lucky day._

_-_

A/N2: Gar's gettin' his groove on, though he might be over his head coming up. No good deed goes unpunished. Then again, now that he's met Daiyu, shit could get a little more hairy. Still, you gotta hand it to those Chinese, they don't take any guff from anyone. Bulletface is NOT gonna be happy about this. Do you think Gar's getting over his head?

Trivia:  
- Reference to U2's "With or Without You"  
- FOUR CHAPTERS IN A ROW with Jameson reference.  
- Kools cigarettes mentioned.

Rhetorical:  
Gar's babies might look weird... and white._  
_


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Damn I've been busy lately.. not to mention that this chapter was difficult to write (you'll see why). I've decided to alter my planning for this chapter (it'll probably be one chapter less than planned) but it'll be better this way. FYI, this is a dark chapter even if it seems light-hearted. The events unfolding are finally touching on that "3rd story" I planned for the 2nd draft (a.k.a. Paradise Lost, Four of a Kind)... Things won't be so good for the Vagrant Vigilante after this chapter, from more than just one side.

-

**Number One with a Bullet...**

October 6, 2007.

The big three of Jump City's criminal underworld are gathering once again, their first meet since June. No bodyguards, no henchmen, and certainly no room for mistakes. Tensions have been running high since someone decided to fuck with the business at hand and it's time for some serious answers. At Mao's insistence for "neutral ground", the three find themselves sitting on a bench in Dunphy Park at the town of Sausalito north of the Golden Gate. Odd sight to be sure but the relaxed feel of the town should keep any suspicion down to a minimum. Sure Bulletface's botched facial surgeries, Desade's biker appearance, and Mao's silk-custom suits seem out of place but who really cares? It's not like they're doing anything _wrong_, right?

"Before we start, we need to clear the air on some issues." Bryson begins, looking out onto Richardson's Bay at the boats passing lazily by. "Issues beyond our _mutual_ pain in the ass as of late."

The sun reflecting off his Lennon-esque glasses, Antoine suggests "Are you coming out with a _personal_ problem, James?"

Patience... not the time for a fight. "Nothing of the sort. It has to do with the issues of territory and who stands to control what."

Quietly chuckling, Antoine accepts the notion. "That would be useful. It would do everyone a _lot_ of good if we knew where not to go, wouldn't we?"

"We have to protect our investments as well as our reputations." Mao chimes in, cool and collected as only a businessman should. "We cannot afford to bicker over childish matters while a snake has entered our home."

"Easy to say that when you haven't been attacked by said snake, _Mao_." retorts the drug baron. "Care to explain that to me?"

"I attribute it to having a product which does not result in the death of my clients. Your drugs and Bryson's weapons are the two leading causes of death in the Bay Area." Matter of fact, score one for Mao.

Even Bryson raises an eyebrow at that (the one that isn't mangled). "He's got a point, Antoine."

"Chiner man had a good comeback, I'm impressed." A crack of the knuckles, Desade appears ready to play ball. "So the, gentlemen, business at hand."

Clearing his throat, Mao begins in earnest. "As far as the current situation is concerned, it would appear operations in North Jump are being infringed by mutual interference. Mr. Bryson's businesses are moving too close for comfort to your port contacts."

"Just a _wee_ bit."

"And while this is true, the same can be said about your business fronts moving very close to Mr. Bryson's receiving warehouses along the Jump City Dockyards."

Bryson's raised eyebrow at Desade earns him a sly grin, eyes hidden by the shades. "Wow, Mao's on top of his game isn't he?"

Not amused in the slightest, the sarcastic retort from Bryson comes through one word: "Amazingly."

These glances are ignored by Mao as he reminds them once more "Our Chinatown in the south has been pest free as well as rid of the JCPD influence. As it stands, North Jump and the Jump City Docks are contested."

Lighting up a cigar, a fact that irritates Mao at being in the direction of the smoke, Antoine bellows "Yup, sure does seem that way doesn't it? Looks like we're both getting a little close to the other's shipping, huh?"

"You are not taking this seriously?" Mao asks, waving away the cherry-scented smoke. "Further provocation of either side could result in hostilities."

Dismissing the comment, Desade simply steps around the idea. "We're not twelve, Mao. If someone wants to move in, let them move in. As long as they play _nice_, who should begrudge his neighbor some money? After all, we _are_ the three largest games in town."

"While they might be true for now," Bryson reminds his grinning friend "it might not always be that way in the future."

"Especially if this little pest continues to attract JCPD attention to businesses under both of your control." points out the Triad leader.

Big exhale, a cough from the smaller Chinese man, Desade suggests firmly "How about we get to that issue, hmm? We can settle these little _disputes_ at any time, that's what makes us such a nice _family_. But that little fucker seems to want our attention at this moment and why should we _ignore that_?"

Bryson takes the briefcase resting next to the seat and opens the combination. Handing an envelope to Antoine, Bryson begins to open the older man's eyes.

"I had Daiyu do some research on this pain on the ass. He goes by the name "Garfield Logan", a "private investigator"."

The papers in Desade's hands begin to crunch a bit under the man's iron grip. That name doesn't go unnoticed in his head... not after hearing Rose talk about him so... fondly.

"We understand he had a hand in working against Scarecrow back in June. Fought against Dr. Light a few times, got his ass kicked and kicked some ass. Our sources also tell us he has connections both in North Jump and possibly greater than that."

"What kind of greater contacts?" the news isn't pleasant to swallow at all.

"Titan greater. We haven't been able to confirm but he's been seen around town with various Titans since we started following him. Most notably he's been seen with the two witches on the team: Raven or Jinx. It's funny because he apparently spends time with a woman from North Jump that has indirect relations to Jake Dewalt."

A long, smoky exhale from the drug cartel at the name of North Jump's infamous investigator. No love lost there for either him or that rogue bastard. "If he has contact with Dewalt, there's a good chance he might know Detective Sinclair out of the JCPD."

"We haven't confirmed that but given the involvement of the JCPD in our North Jump bust, it could very well be likely." Bryson also fishes into his pocket for a smoke, the smell of Antoine's cigar having gotten the best of him. Mao can only glare twice as much as two streams of smoke mix in his air instead of one. "What has me worried isn't so much who he sees in North Jump or what he's doing. We could kill him a hundred times over and no one would shed a tear. What's worrying is the contacts he has with the Teen Titans. Daiyu noticed he shares several similarities with Beast Boy, that one that's been on hiatus since January."

"You telling me we have an undercover Titan working against us?"

"If true, it would mean the Mayor's office has decided on a drastic shift of policy. Normally she forbade the Titans from going after our types but if this is true, we could have their whole team coming for us. One Titan's bad enough, seven would be a disaster for all three of us."

Handing the paper back to Bulletface, the picture of Garfield no longer wanted in his sight, the older man stomps on his cigar with a bit more force than necessary. No more smiles or grins on his face, the enemy has been revealed. "So what do we do about our little problem?"

"Daiyu noticed he had an accomplice on his last run through my warehouses. She couldn't be sure who it was but my guys tell me the things this woman could do was "too damn lucky". The way she deflected bullets and make things simply fall over on top of them... they think it could've been the Titan Jinx in disguise."

"One Titan's bad enough but two is calling for blood." Mao chimes in finally, stating the obvious. "We cannot allow these metahumans a chance to disrupt our holdings."

"I got a guy out in Sacramento right now who can be down here in forty-eight hours. He'll be able to get rid of our troubles for a price." Antoine might not want to resort to this but they've forced his hand.

"I've already hired a specialist to deal with our problem. Just in case these two are Titans in disguise, I made sure I bought the best. Trust me, it cost the most but if it gets results..."

Turning to Bryson, Desade asks honestly "And if he doesn't?"

"Then call your man at the capitol. If my guy doesn't pay off, have your nutcase carve these kids into pieces."

"... so when does this all go down?"

_"I met up with Jinx on the sixth to discuss the next attack we'd be making. She insisted we make it a lunch-date so we went to the Atlas Cafe, a deli joint off 20th. Patio section, good veggie selection, we both couldn't complain. Hell, there wasn't a soul in the building that'd even guess she was a Titan and I was a gang-hated vigilante. From our appearances, we probably looked more like college kids than "superheroes"._

_The plan was rather simple; going after whole warehouses wouldn't be needed this time around. I figured it was about time we surprise the Chinese down in Chinatown by blowing up some of their own supply trucks. The idea of Bulletface and Mao working together against Desade made me furious... furious that I'd have to even the odds if I didn't want a monopoly to spread. Make it even and both sides will fight it out longer, make it easier for me in the end. So we'd go to Chinatown and start some trouble, keep them guessing, and give Desade a chance to make his moves..._

_But this wasn't the issue at hand with Jinx sitting across from me. I could tell from her eyes that she wasn't hugely into the plan moreso than interested in me. She was polite enough during our last meeting not to flaunt it but I could tell by this point... it needed to be addressed."_

"Hey, look, I know you're not huge into us giving you things these days..." Jinx begins, finishing her sandwich. "But Arge' just wasn't gonna let it go."

Funny hearing Jinx call the team's Aussie by such an odd nickname but his interest is perked by that statement. "Wouldn't let _what_?"

"Relax, it's back at the tower still. If you're lucky, you'll get it as an early Christmas gift. You know those fashion types; always worrying about style and all."

Eye still raised, Gar counters "Are you saying I look too grungy?"

"Yeah, just a little. The Salvation Army look doesn't do you any real justice." Hmm?

Sip of water, Gar's veggie sandwich long gone, he retorts with a grin "My coat isn't doing me justice? It makes a great blanket when you're not home."

There it was, just like he thought... that tinge of pink on fake-tan cheeks. Magic spell or not, she's still human...ish. "It's your fault for having Jameson. You shouldn't be drinking at this age."

Coughing on another sip of water, Gar has to restrain himself from gagging. "_ME_? I barely got more than a couple shots out of that fifth.. you downed the rest."

"Could've told me no."

Touche. "And you would've put a boot up my ass and drank it anyway."

A giggle and a half, a weird thing on that cat-like face of her's "Damn right. Why, you didn't _like_ what happened? I didn't get TOO loud."

"We both probably yelled a little too much. Thank God the cops didn't drive by."

Although she grins at that, there's a pause afterward that doesn't look so humorous... Hesitation maybe, shyness...

"What's up? You got quiet.."

...

"Gar, that morning we woke up..."

How could he forget? He nearly got murdered by her for "letting her stay out so late". Well, it was about to happen anyway, might as well let her run with it. "Yeah?"

"... I never had that before. I never woke up with someone holding me like..."

Shouldn't do this but he does anyway. "Not even K.F.?"  
Shake of the head, bigger the frown. "Nope, not even with him... I always thought it'd never happen, being held like that by a guy."

"Tell me about it, minus the "guy" part. Shame it had to be on a dusty-ass couch."

"Couch is better than that clinic you told me about in North Jump. Sorry but I hate sleeping on the floor, especially abandoned ones."

... North Jump... Kristine's town...He woke up on a big bed that next morning, that's for sure. Jinx might be happy taking his lips but Kris has something no woman can ever claim again.

"You get used to it. You never told me how you explained it to Robin and the others." Tea would be good right now but that would require getting up...

Jinx doesn't fail to have her own drink in hand. "Boy Blunder bitched me out all the next morning about "not telling him where I went", as if I'm his little child or bitch. Sorry but Starfire fills that department MORE than enough."

"Shit.. that's cold. She's not a bad girl but way too naive. I'm surprised he didn't ban you from coming up to help me."

A roll of the eyes, resist the urge to twirl hex energy in the fingers. "He couldn't stop me anyway. Even if he boots me out, I got a home that's just waiting for me to kick in the door."

"And that is?"

Cat-like grin growing wider by the second, she answers simply "The old HIVE FIVE hangout. They ditched the place months ago but it's still operational in case something goes wrong."

Wow, that's nice to have. "And yet you didn't tell me? We could've drank there instead of my dirty ol' garage."

Leaning forward, chin on her hands, her eye raises a bit suggestive "Just me and you, alone, with a gallon of booze and a night to kill? Slow it down, wild child, we've just begun."

...

Gar doesn't get to answer as a spray of blood splashes him in the face. Eyes wide, despite the blood covering his left socket, he watches in mute horror as Jinx's eyes stare at him, lifeless. Frozen shock, a hole neatly in her head. The bullet must have come out and missed Gar's body but certainly didn't miss her's. In a flash, he screams her name even as the magic begins to fade away, revealing her true self. Patrons scream in horror, a murder has just gone down and the woman in question looks VERY much like a certain Titan... Slumping down on the table, no feeling or life at all, she hits the table without a sensation at all. If only Gar could be so numb as he's busy screaming for the clerks to call 911... despite knowing in his heart that...

_"There's no humanly way I could describe the pain I went through at that moment. Here was a friend of mine, growing closer by the day, a woman I came to trust despite our years as enemies, slumping dead onto the table from a headshot. That empty look of blank fear in her eyes will never, EVER leave me. There was no way she knew what hit her, no way to tell who finally killed her neither. Her soul was out before the bullet hit the wall behind us... Panic isn't something I do often these days but that was something I never saw before. I've seen civilians murdered, TJ White's rampage being one of them, but never had I seen one of my own teammates and close, personal friends die... R.I.P. Jinx, I'll see you when I get there, if I ever get there."_

-

"JCN reporting tonight on the tragedy that has befallen Jump City this afternoon. Around noon today, one of the Teen Titans was assassinated while at the Atlas Cafe here in town. Police have found what appears to be a bullet casing with the initials "D.S.", possibly referring to the infamous assassin for hire "Deadshot", a.k.a. Floyd Lawton. JCPD officials refuse to comment further on this situation, citing that a full-scale investigation will be launched into the murder of one of the city's fallen heroes. More on this tragedy as it unfolds..."

A/N2: Jinx finally got her head blown off, just as been planned since Draft 2. "Why?" you ask.. because this series isn't going to be for the weak-of-heart. The problem with Watchman (draft one) was it wasn't dark enough, NO ONE ever died (except minor/2nd rate characters). This isn't going to be the same, this is Gar's life as he never planned it: He fucked up. "How did the gangs find out it was him?", put your mind to work. These people make millions illegally, they have ways and means.. and it's not like Gar made it hard NOT to find out neither. The question is how bad will the gangs come down on him now? How bad will the TITANS come down on him?

Trivia:  
- Dunphy Park and the town of Sausalito are real places north of San Fran.  
- Atlas Cafe is a real joint on 20th in San Fran.  
- This arc has 4 chaps so far... each chapter has a reference to Jameson Irish Whiskey.  
- "I'll see you when you get there" is a quote from Coolio's song of the same name.  
- "D.S.", a nod to the Gotham Knight anime of Batman and their rendition of Deadshot.

Rhetorical:  
- We're getting to the fun stuff.. it's only the tip of the 'berg right now.


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Back once again and this one's a bit of a mindfuck. Not just because Jinx died but because I wanted to show just how much Gar has affected those connected with him. Enemies, friends, lovers, his life has already changed the city's itself but it's the personal relationships that are the most touching. I channeled the Watchmen movie a bit here in two scenes, take a wild guess if you can tell which ones. Only three chapters to go in this arc (and the three chapters after that I've been DYING to write). Hope you enjoy this.

* * *

**Number One with a Bullet...**

October 10, 2007.

_"There's no way to honestly describe the horror I felt as her life left her body. One bullet through the head, dead in less than a second, was more jarring than White Rabbit, than watching my parents drown, or even watching Terra sacrifice herself for the city. The way her eyes stared forward like a doll's, the slow descent towards the table, the spray of blood on my face... I will never forget these sights for as long as I live. Someone ordered the hit, wanted either me or her dead, and they succeeded beyond expectation. They got their kill but they also succeeded in getting my undivided attention. I'll make them all pay for this even if it takes spending every living moment on the run, following them on their heels.. Jinx died because she decided to help make the city safer when her own city told her she wasn't allowed to... I won't let her death be in vain."_

Naturally the weather for the funeral would be this unlucky. A heavy rainstorm moves off the Pacific Ocean and into the skies over Jump, reflecting the mood for those gathered in the cemetery this day. No one from the general public are gathered, only police officials, the mayor, and the Titans. Garfield is notably missing from the event for reasons unknown. With heavy hearts and wet tears mixing with the rain, the black-attired Titans listen as the minister continues his sermon, knowing their friend will not rise once more...Mixed memories on this tragic, rainy day in Jump City. The black coffin, American flag draped on top, seems such an unfitting end to a woman who was finally doing good for the city she once profited off of.

...

Starfire, her eyes already raining tears, feels her control slip even more as the countless trips to the mall flash through her head like a movie. They'd never be able to share the joy of a summer day, swamping every store in the malls and shops... a common sisterhood that they formed in so short a time; one that not even her and Raven had come to gain in all their years... Who would do such a thing? What cruel bastard would decide to kill such a dear friend in this manner?

...

_"I could've been a lot of things."_ Cyborg doesn't shed tears himself but keeps his eyes closed, not wanting to see the coffin before him. Although their mutual attraction had disappeared after his stay at the HIVE, he couldn't help but feel he'd lost a little sister so close to his heart. She could throw a mean punch, live it up at the parties, and wouldn't mind trying to one-up in a rib-eating contest. A wild child that could've done some serious damage to the criminal underworld had she been around another few years. She'd never laugh again, steal the remote from his hand... and the girl would never be there to remind him he wasn't just a tin can that so many people looked at him as...

...

After Terra, coming to trust outsiders wasn't easy... not after they'd all been stabbed in the back so hard. When Raven heard that Jinx, a former criminal, would be joining the Titans, the goth could only predict bad things would happen to all of them... How nice it was to be proven wrong. Unlike Terra, she gave it her all for the cause, didn't complain about her "newbie" status, and could help mellow Starfire whenever she got too excited. Sure there was the fear that Jinx would be there to push her out of the team but she was a lot more understanding than she imagined. She _worked_ for their trust, especially her's... Whoever had their grudge against her fulfilled with a sniper bullet would have to answer to her personally, this WOULD NOT go unpunished

...

First Terra dying for the city and now another falls while turning her life around. As his mentor might say, Jinx was "a good solider until the end". Robin's grim demeanor doesn't relent as they remove the flag, ready to bury the casket into the cold, damp Earth below. Would this be the fate of the rest of his team in time? Would he have to watch them all die while he lived... or would he be _next_ to enter his final resting place? The city's gangs have gone too far, the Mayor would have to approve the amendment... The Titans would bring those responsible to pay for their sins, he swore it while identifying her corpse for the morgue. How many of these did Bruce see before he finally cut off his heart from the world? How many would it take before _he'd_ do the same?

* * *

_"I thought you said he was gonna kill Beast Boy? Killing that other one isn't going to help our situation!"_ Desade clearly isn't happy. It's a good thing he's not in the room; the phone might be thrown just as hard as the man holding it.

"My orders were to remove his little "helper" so we could dismantle this little shit." Bryson's response is cool and collected, unlike Desade's angry tone. "We can't have others think they can just waltz in and disrupt our businesses."

_"Well you might've just done that! I got word that the Mayor's considering letting the Titans go after us."_

Bottle of Dewar's in hand, he pours himself a glass of the dark scotch. "Then your sources are clearly naive. We've made it clear to them that if the Titans come for us, we're coming for them. On top of that, I suspect the city's not too thrilled with the idea of Garfield getting one of their Titans killed. It's a public relation's nightmare for them if we decide to announce it to the press."

_"... I'm impressed. You've done your homework, haven't you?"_

Sip of the scotch, savor the biting taste. "Can't have all my hard work go up in flames now can I?"

_"Only bad thing is no one's asking why she was there in the first place. Everyone's been calling it an assassination. Shit, if they knew what she was doing, I bet the city would go nuts."_

"Well they're being generous by not stirring up that trouble, aren't they? God I love California." Daiyu stands at the door of his condo, gesturing towards him. He snaps his fingers, a "come in" motion of his hands. "Gotta go, business time."

Hanging up, Bryson asks his Chinese comrade with a grin on his scarred face "Is it wrong if I wanna kill that sadist fuck?"

Her eyebrow raised at the irony, Daiyu's reply seems more dry than usual "If you're asking about morality, I'd say you're losing your mind."

Grin still holding strong, the gun baron suggests "Who me? I'd be doing all those moralists a favor by making sure that sick fuck doesn't hurt anyone else."

"I'm sure you would. What did he have to say?"

Sip from the liquor, grin disappears in an instant. "He's pissed because I had Deadshot kill the bitch instead of Beast Boy. He should be happy I'm letting him take that green bastard instead of me."

"Awfully generous of you." The deadly woman saunters over towards the window overlooking the city, gazing at the Tower in the distance. Hard to see with the fog crawling in, the rain soaking the glass like a garden hose. "I heard that the funeral was today. It's a shame it has to be so wet out there for them. I'd _hate_ for them to catch a cold."

"Hah, and here you were asking about _my_ sanity." The black leather feels so much better on the back than the velvet chair by the bar. "Speaking of troublesome business partners, have you heard back from Mao yet?"

Eyes narrowing, no sarcastic gleam remaining in those dark, Asian eyes. "Everything's moving ahead smoothly. He says within three months, we'll have enough strength to overtake Desade's operation."

The news might be good to hear but Daiyu has yet to turn back to him. Curious, the scarred man asks "Does that bother you? You and the Triads used to be..."

Bulletface is unable to hear what she whispers but you don't need superhearing to tell it must've hit deep. Throughout the years he's known this woman, the only thing she'd ever show a hint of care would be the Triads.. especially their leader.

"It is not my decision." The black jade replies loud enough for Bryson to hear. "All that matters is that it is done to the best of our ability."

Spoken like Mao himself... ironic. Then again, one other issue had been bugging her for a few days now. "Then you're still pissed off because of your fight with Beast Boy?"

No distant, thoughtful expression this time, only anger. Fist balling in hate, she retorts with passion "That arrogant little insect. The only thing he did was bring about his own death. And I'll be the one to do it, not one of Desade's freaks."

* * *

By eight that night, the cops would be interested to know that the children of Jump's largest drug cartel are raining hell on the city's many bars. As Marin and Rose move from place to place, swilling drink as they go, he can't shake the feeling that Rose is taking the news harder than he expected. Although she can have a fiery, psychotic temper at times, she'd normally never go batshit like the past four nights. In this position it'd be a fool's idea to tell her to stop, she'd claw out people's eyes in an instant. Guess it's not everyday you find out that a person you're smitten with just happens to be the biggest threat to your family's livelihood.

"Why did it have to be _him_?" Rose groans, head on the table with her arm clutching a bottle of Rolling Rock.

"It's our family's luck. We always fall for troublemakers." No beer for Marin, he's a UV Blue vodka drinker. "Look at mom and dad."

Hard swig of the beer coupled with a middle finger his way, Rose bemoans _that_ woman. "Don't even talk about _her_. The LAST thing I wanna hear right now is about that whore."

"I know you're upset, Rose, but don't call her that." Maybe this night wasn't good for drinking?

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to get her angry. "It's the fucking truth! If she were a _real_ mom, she'd be here to help us right now... She'd help me find a way to keep Gar..."

Make that vodka a double, this is gonna be a long night. "C'mon sis, you sound fourteen. From the way you talked about him, he sounded more afraid of you then head over heels."

"You don't KNOW that! He was just being shy because he didn't know what REAL FUN is!"

Checking his watch, dad's gonna have a blast when he drops an angry drunk off at his apartment. "At least he wasn't there to get burned like Jester."

Loud, over-exaggerated, Rose leans back with a loud groan. "You just HAVE to drag out EVERY bitch and bastard in my past, DON'T YOU? My Gar was NOTHING like that no-dick motherfucker! He's a REAL man and he'd put that dickhead Jester into the bitch!"

"The bitch? Where the hell did that come from?"

Back to her place on the bar, she mumbles through his arm "Gar taught me it that night. Oh why did it have to be _him_?"

* * *

The rain seems like a hurricane outside, the Bay Bridge connecting North Jump with Jump City starts to disappear as the fog rolls in. Inside the small, 3-room apartment, Jake Dewalt has Kristine and his girlfriend over for company. Not much to do on these cold, wet nights but a case of beer and poker cards might make things interesting.

"Can't believe he's really out there right now." Kris remarks, looking out towards the city while Jake shuffles the cards. "It's pouring rain and he didn't even take an umbrella."

"Of course he didn't. Hell, I'm amazed he didn't leave his coat behind too." Jake replies, lighting up a smoke while handing out the cards after a good shuffle. "Still don't see what you see in him."

"Unlike you he's not the most hated man in North Jump." she retorts, earning a laugh from her co-worker and Jake's girlfriend. "How many people want you dead.. just this week alone?"

Glancing up a moment, he looks back at his cards and reminds the red-haired woman. "That kid is more hated than you realize. He's getting into some heavy stuff and it's more than just loan sharks and hustlers."

"He can handle himself." Two aces looks nice in a pack of five. "It's not as though he's a pushover."

Big puff of smoke, three kings are a beauty but two queens would be sweeter. "No but that kid thinks like an animal. Problem with animals is wild ones tend to get put down. I don't wanna see anything happen to him but you start fuckin' around with the wrong people, they come knocking."

"Make sure you tell him when he gets back." Kris won't take this guff from Jake, not without reminding him who's in charge. "You men always have to make an enemy of the world, don't you?"

"Here we go."

"You can never settle down and be happy with a woman without calling it prison."

One more queen... "He's gonna stop chasing drug dealers and help you pay the rent?"

Is that another ace? Oh yeah... "As a matter of fact I believe he is."

"Lot of faith for a guy you hardly know." If only this woman knew the troublemaker she's letting into her house. Chasing after the drugs and guns of the city could get her killed by association.

"Oh I know him better than you do. Trust me, he'd never let anything happen to me." If only this clueless "investigator" knew the kind, loving superhero that doesn't treat her like a child like the other "heroes" tend to. Unlike Sarah, who probably didn't imagine her future boyfriend would be a P.I., Kristine finds herself lucky enough to be living out a dream: Living with the perfect man.

* * *

Yes, the weather is atrocious tonight. The sky looks as though made of ink, cuts of white lightning spiraling throughout the space above while oceans of water fall to Earth. The soft, muddy grass, the cold wind... general ambiance for a somber night in one of Jump's cemeteries. An unconscious shiver runs down the spine at the revelation before him.

"It's just like that night..."

Faint images in his head of dancing skeletons, jet-black sky, a raging storm erupting high above. But there were no live skeletons here, only dead ones. There would be no bleeding rabbits, no scorpions, and no one to stop him from letting the truth come out.

The tombstone, labeled with a simple "JINX: A TRUE TITAN AND FRIEND". Terra had the same or something similar, hadn't she? His body soaked to the core, drops sliding off his hair, the vigilante takes a long inhale while crouching down before the headstone.

"Jinx... I'm sorry I didn't come to your funeral. I thought one of the gangs would be here, waiting to kill me or something while the other Titans saw first-hand. I know I can be a stubborn idiot but if anything happened to them, I don't... I don't think I could live with myself. If they died because of what I set out to do... well... I have to apologize to you for a few things, I should've said them while you were alive..." Composing himself, the tears coming without much resistance. "For years I thought you were just some bitch, some pain-in-the-ass bitch that just wanted to hurt us because you _liked_ it. Hell, in a few rants back in the day, I might've even _wished_ you guys were dead. All you and your friends did was steal, maim, and just be wastes of life. You _should_ have been dead then...

...

but then you turned it all around. You gave it up, wanted something better. Beyond belief you even put aside our old grudges and worked _with_ us. And what did you get out of it? Sure we took you in but because of Terra, you were never truly accepted the way she was. Robin probably saw you as a weapon... and even though she _is_ naive, Star probably looked to you as a friend instead of a sister... And yet you persisted, even to the point where you got me to stop thinking of you as an old enemy and more towards being a good friend, maybe even a... some day maybe... You were the first girl I'd ever kissed, drunk or not, and I can't say I didn't enjoy it. Though I'm with Kris, you still have a piece of my heart that I can't let go... I hope God forgives you, hope you're flying around now up in Heaven instead of breaking bottles over Satan's head... then again, you'd probably enjoy that more than floating around with wings, huh?" Tears retreating into a smile, Gar stands up, reaching into his coat pocket for a small, green bottle.

"I'll make sure those that killed you don't go unpunished. They'll ALL suffer for what they stole from you. Jinx, if you are in heaven, ask God to keep an eye out for me... And if you happen to be down in hell, tell Satan to free up some space because I'm sending some assholes down there to join him."

Jameson bottle in his hand, he takes a drink of the pint before turning the rest over onto the grave site. "Jinx, take care wherever you've gone. I'll see you when I get there, if I ever get there."

* * *

A/N2: So Jinx's death is finally wrapped up. Poor Gar.. he's gonna be in deep shit for not being at the funeral (even though he still paid his last respects). As to the reviewers thinking Gar has some kind of pheromones, it's a possibility I never considered. Then again I attribute it to his confidence and his determination to succeed (women, you love a guy like that?). This chapter is actually a bit more cerebal than I imagined. While Gar can admit he loathed her in the beginning, the Titans seem to not acknowledge that (Raven only hinted at it). The women of this story are really impressing me the most. Daiyu hates that he's still in her mind, Kris is falling in love for the kind side, Rose loves his boldness, and Jinx probably thought he was an honest man compared to Robin and Cyborg still "hiding" in their Tower while the city goes to hell. I wonder what Raven'll say when they meet up again.

A/N3: I'm going to be combining all of the Watchman stories (draft 1 and 2 plus the side stories) into one ZIP file soon. If anyone would like to re-read some of these, feel free.

Trivia:  
- Graveyard scenes were the Watchmen-looking scenes I mentioned.  
- Coolio refrenced again (just as he did in his narration)  
- Jameson makes it's FIFTH appearance in a row.

Rhetorical:  
- There's a LOT more going on in this chapter than you'd realize. Some key hints were dropped by the characters, try and find them.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: 2 more chapters after this, we're getting near the end of the first 1/3 of "Redux: Watchman". This chapter, to my long-time readers, will be familiar.. although I'm putting a BIG twist to it. A review once said "I can't wait to see Gar's actions move from a shade of gray towards a shade of black", well wish granted. And to clarify something (I noticed in Void's review), this story is becoming far deeper (in psychology, emotions, personality) than anything I've written (and far more than you're aware). If you re-read Chap 30, every character has a side of them you don't realize (motivations, histories, beliefs). The inherient hypocrisy, false beliefs, and dreams of each character (Titan, gang, civilian, and Gar himself) are so complex that even I'm amazed... Now consider all that as we move towards the end of this arc and you'll understand. Unlike Watchman (draft 1), this story isn't just "The cartoon Titans with a darker twist", I think it's a serious meditation on what these people would do in a real test of morality and power.

* * *

**Number One with a Bullet...**

October 13, 2007.

_"Throughout my entire career as a "superhero", there was always one rule I always adhered to and never broke, not even once: Do not kill. No matter how much I wanted to, I was never allowed to kill another human being willingly. Accidents do happen, sometimes the situation kills a person rather than you own hand, but I was never supposed to actively pull the trigger. Slade, Brain, even Adonis.. I felt these people should've died for the things they did to me and my friends. Still though, I kept my cool each time and wouldn't cross that line no matter what..._

_... But after the thirteenth, I'd never be a superhero ever again._

_I woke up that morning on the couch inside my garage hideout. For the past week, I hadn't even gone near that building because of the memories with Jinx. Hell, just sleeping on that couch made me depressed. The Titans would never know; it was just another secret I'd keep hidden deep inside my heart. I wonder what Raven would've said if she found out? Some dry remark about underage drinking and stupid decisions? Or would Robin step in and demand to know where I got enough Jameson to put us both out for the night?_

_The dirty rafters didn't look so miserable that morning. The sun seemed to shine so much brighter through those dusty windows and the ocean smelled that much sweeter. That long stretch of pink hair, the soft snoring, the way she held on to me like I was the anchor to her life. Whatever happened during my time away from Jump and the Titans seemed to make me more attractive to the women in my life, I think... When I was younger I couldn't buy this kind of attention and all of a sudden I was receiving it from all over the place. Hell, I wasn't the one who even kissed her first..."_

_"Gar, are you awake?"_ Question calls in through the earpiece. Gar's daydreaming on the couch interrupted, time to pay attention.

"What's up Q?"

_"There could be trouble coming your way. Not sure if it's all for you but I have three white vans heading your direction."_

"We're in the middle of the city. Why should that be unusual?"

_"Because two of them are Bulletface's and one's Desade's."_ Not good.

Boredom passing to business, Gar rises from his seat and over to his stockpile. Time to put all that stolen Bulletface goods to use. "How long until they get here?"

_"At their present speed and traffic, I'd give you fifteen at the most. I don't know what kind of weaponry they're bringing but three vans should be enough for thirty at the most."_

"Thirty to one odds, huh? Well I always wanted to put all those books to use. Thirty vs. one in open combat isn't a contest but put that one in a fortress and it'll be a bloodbath for the attacker." Not just time for explosives but that new shotgun and those knives might all be needed for this fight. Don't forget the trench coat neither...

_"Have you made preparations for defending your garage?"_

Grenades into his pockets, Gar remarks a bit more excited than usual. "Yeah. Took me awhile to spot-wield those garage doors shut but it'll funnel these fuckers into the front door. I got myself two air vents on the roof to play with as well as a surprise by the gas pumps."

_"And if they manage to get inside?"_

"I got that covered too. Desade and Bulletface want me dead... and I still owe them for Jinx's death."

_"Are you planning on killing these men?"_

* * *

Although the prep work continues, along with stringing along some wire outside the front of the property, Gar bitterly tells his colleague "There's a difference between killing for revenge and killing in self-defense. TJ White would've been revenge... here I'm just defending my home. I won't be aiming to kill but if they happen to end up that way, so be it. These grenades can do quite a bit of damage."

_"If you should kill someone, don't become too absorbed by it. Just because I'm willing to kill doesn't mean I have to act on it."_

"Thank you for the advice. Believe it or not I'd rather not kill anyone but I don't want to die neither." Tripwires set, it's time to set up inside. They'll be coming in about ten minutes so there's still a few things that need last-minute checking.

_"If it gets too dangerous, get your ass out of there."_

"If they get inside that's exactly what I plan on doing." Looking over those chunks of C4 planted on the walls, it's not a pleasant thought what could happen if they all went off at once. "I'll contact you after this is through. Out."

"Right on time." Need to whisper though, don't want to give away his position just yet. Three vans, just as Question said, with about eight men each coming out of the vans. Seven goons and a driver each... interesting odds. Their black suits match their gray or black MP5s, their AK-47s, and the occasional M-16. It's a lot of artillery for one metahuman, isn't it? "Nice to see they care." From his vantage point on the rafters, peering out from one of the two air shafts facing the street, he has a good view of the site below.

_"Alright, you guys move up there and flush that fucker out. Be careful!"_

Thankfully the garage has it's back to the ocean, no place for a door and certainly no room to maneuver. The doors remaining shut barring a ram-job by one of those vans, there's only one way in that doesn't involve tearing down boarded windows... and to get to that door requires walking through no-man's land.  
...

The first five move up together and fail to notice that four very dangerous weapons are mounted to those gas pumps. One of them trips over the wire, attracting the other men's attention. "What the fuck was that?".

BOOM! A great flash of light and sound bursts forth from the front of the garage, damaging the hearing and blinding the vision of all those gathered. All five men drop to the ground, stunned by the shock to their systems.

_"That motherfucker had a trap waiting for us!"_

That he did... and now the chorus of gunfire bursts into the main floor, well below Gar's feet. Round after round is fired into the building, praying they'll kill this bastard before something else goes wrong. By the time they've unloaded their ammo, they fail to realize that Gar has just thrown two smoke grenades their way. As they turn their guns towards the one vent, seconds later another grenade comes flying their way from the other vent... And unlike the two smoke grenades, this one contains CS Gas.. a.k.a. Tear Gas. It's evident from the coughing sounds erupting out front that the gunmen can't tell which is simple, white smoke and which is the tear gas.

"Choke on that you fuckers. Better yet, how about a drink?" Zippo popping open, the vagrant vigilante lights a Jameson bottle full of 87 Octane gasoline. Tossing the bottle towards the men, it explodes in a fiery mess near the gas pumps. "Know thy enemy and know thyself, thou shall win every time. Do _you_ bastards know what you're in for?"

Waiting for the gas to dissipate, the group of would-be killers holds back while trying to keep out of reach of the crazy fuck on the inside. What _else_ could he be ready to add to the argument? So far it's been nothing but grenades, gas, and fire...

_"Yo, get the big piece!"_

Surprised at hearing that through the haze, Gar's eyebrow raises curiously. "Big piece?" Better not blink as one of the men reaches into the back of the van and produces a... goddamn RPG-7! "Oh shit!"

Gar's leap to the floor is in time. As he hits the ground, covering up for protection, one of the shells impacts the roof, blowing a good chunk of Gar's perch apart. Debris and tin roofing falling to the ground, he needs to hurry, they won't wait long. Hell, they might think he's _dead_ and just rush the place... There's still _one_ more trap out there before they get to the door... move, move... Set up the surprise at the door then fall back to get some distance!

...

Sure enough the men start to close in now, avoiding the fire and the last of the gas. Much slower this time, looking for any traps that might still be remaining. Approaching the door, Gar's cue is heard by one of the men shouting. _"Alright, you go get the door!"_ All it takes is the press of a button for his next trap to go off.

Four men approach the door, uncaring that a toolbox is next to them. Why should they, it's _just_ _a toolbox_. It's not like there's any...

BOOM!

The MK3A2 concussion grenade inside, amplified greatly by the small space inside the box, explodes with a great roar. The shock wave literally disintegrates the metal shell, fragmenting and tearing into the gunmen approaching the door. With four broken, motionless bodies outside of the building, these unlucky men are the first of Gar's potentially long list of causalities. The blood stains and body parts littered across the asphalt, shrieking cries of agony from the dying... If only Gar could see these things but it's obvious even to his sensitive hearing that this particular surprise was deadly effective. Still, no time to grieve or turn introspective... the enemy is approaching.

Removing one of the boards covering the main window, Gar sees some of the remaining gunmen approaching, their eyes focused towards the door. Time to bring in Big Black.

...

Shotgun aimed, the vagrant takes aim slightly to the side of one of the men. From this range it won't be a killing shot but enough to take him off his feet.

BANG, one shell away. The bullet slams into his target's right arm, the gun in hand dropping to the ground below. The others start to look his way but a second shot takes out the leg of the first man's buddy...

It is at this point that a strange feeling overtakes the vigilante. His vision appears green, almost as though a tinted hue has overcome his sight. And unlike before, his vision appears much better... Eagle-like in it's clarity despite the black and gray smoke around the site. The third shot from his weapon seems to slow down in motion, the bullet catching a gunner in the left shoulder, throwing him off his feet. The sound of the casing bouncing off the ground seems louder, deeper than usual... Line up the fourth shot, they're catching on and about to fire a burst his way. Enough time for one last shot though, one that punches through the kneecap of an unfortunate goon. No time to worry about this strange feeling as it starts to fade away, it's time to get away from his spot as it's shredded up by machine gun fire.

...

Just enough time to get back to his little "bedroom" and set up another trip-wire trap similar to the one at the front door. He's done all he could, fighting inside (even as an animal) would do nothing to save his hideout. If anything, reading Che and Mao Tse-Tung has taught him that it's more important to strike a blow and survive then die fighting. Live to fight another day and he can do this a thousand times over. Finishing his job in time to see three men burst through the front door, he shuts the door quickly and ties the rope around the wire cord around the door knob. To the invaders' surprise, Gar's door trap announces itself with three Stun Grenades detonating over their heads. At a range of three feet, the force of the explosions coming down onto their heads throws the trio to their feet. What Gar can't confirm is if the impact had broken their necks on impact. Three more casualties.. Don't freeze... don't freeze... Last trap set, more men enter the building screaming for vengeance and Gar's bloody, bullet-riddled corpse.

Only one way out now: The back window facing the ocean. One last press of a detonator, one to give him seven seconds to escape, and the man runs off for the exit space. The door behind him bursts open as the first had, gunfire stretching for a sparrow now flying out into the open air. To that bird, it's hard to tell if the stun grenades got them first but if they did, those men died before the last trap did...

High in the air, the bird circles the sky and looks down on it's former hideaway. The countdown ends with the C4, the entire stockpile delivered from the raid on Bryson's warehouse, going off in a terrific explosion. Whoever was in that building would have a hard time surviving, from on high it almost appears as though three oil tankers had just exploded. Black smoke, bits of shrapnel everywhere... His home for the past few months disappears in a brilliant display of destruction... the home he first kissed another woman, used as a haven against the rise of crime... Now all that remains is the fiery inferno marking his first victims on a bloody war against crime. With his new home gone, the only place left to go is his old one. Taking flight across the sea, the Titans Tower looms large in the distance. This won't be easy to explain to the others... not easy at all.

* * *

Returned to a human form back on the roof of the Tower, Gar takes a moment to compose himself. Hand to his chest, breathing coming hard and fast... Sweat still dripping from his face, dear God it feels like a heart attack in his chest. There's no mistaking what just happened, not even to himself. The gangs sent a team to kill him and he just condemned most of them to death. Who knows how many where in there when the C4 went off? Who knows how mangled those four were when the toolbox blew up? Would the four men he shot recover from their gunshot wounds?

...

But that's the difference between a murderer and a man, isn't it? Each bullet was aimed away from killing, each trap was meant to disable rather than kill.. If they didn't attack, they wouldn't have died. How many of them were evil by birth? They were doing their jobs just as Jinx had, as any of them would have. Question was right, just because he got those men killed doesn't mean he has to keep doing it... Next time no one will have to die... next time...

In the meantime, how does he go about explaining the situation to Robin? Surely by now he knows Gar's a marked man and the gangs are searching for him. He wasn't at there for the funeral, publicly... There's no way he knows by now that Gar's _killed_ people... But would Raven be able to sense it? Would she be able to tell through her psychic powers? Too many questions, too many things going down at once...

_..._

_"Are you alright? I saw your garage explode from the satellite feed."_ For once, Question sounds genuinely concerned for Gar's well being.

"I'm fine, I got out before the C4 went off. It got really hairy and I'm not sure how many people got away from there alive..."

A pause on the com-link before Question asks the obvious _"So you killed some of your attackers?"_

"I shot a few but no place where it'd be fatal. The few I did get were from stun grenades and a booby trap outside of the building. They were careless and stupid when they tried to break in. After I started bombing them with tear gas and molotovs, they should've just flattened the garage with their RPGs."

_"Perhaps they should have but they decided not to. Although I'm sure you understand now the feeling of taking another man's life. It's a difficult feeling that I had trouble grasping at first. Don't become a wild dog and kill only when you have no other choice."_

"Thank you for the advice. You never told me you could be fatherly you know."

If anything, the reply has a tinge of comforting humor to it. _"Wouldn't want on my pupils dying before they reach their prime."_

"So what do I tell the Titans then? I'm standing on top of the Tower as I speak."

_"Tell them what they need to know and nothing beyond that. Their self-righteousness and state-sponsored mandates will only hamper your goal of stopping the Desades and the Bulletface Gang."_

"Do you do that with the Justice League and Helena?"

_"The truth will always be out there, somewhere... That doesn't mean we have to reveal it all at once."_

_

* * *

_

A/N2: The garage is gone but more importantly, unlike Draft 1 or Draft 2, Gar has (indirectly) killed another living person. This is a deep shade of gray because kto some, killing is still killing but to others this is a justified self-defense. Let that debate roll... Also, many of you will ask "Why didn't Gar use his animal powers". By now, if you haven't figured out why, I suggest not even reading this story anymore. To make it short, would you use a machine gun to go squirrel hunting? No, you'd take a pistol or small-caliber gun... NOW, with Gar.. if he's been reading and learning how to use explosives, military tactics, guerrilla warfare.. AND trained with Question.. would it NOT make sense to USE this knowledge and attack WITHOUT BEING SEEN rather than charging out there as an animal AND MAYBE GET SHOT? Remember I said this story is getting deep, VERY deep, so I'm trusting you to keep that in mind with the reviews.

Trivia:  
- Jameson, again (6 in a row).  
- References to real military-grade explosives, gas, and grenades.

Rhetorical:  
What was probably missed was Gar's little "enhancement" when it came to shooting... Could some deeper part of his animal powers be starting to manifest?


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Whenever I start working on a side-project, I start getting tons of ideas for this story. Ironically, this week or so without writing has given me the clear view I needed. I now know how this story is going to play out (from here until the end). In the meantime, this chapter is the second to last (I'd write the last one tonight but the Flexerol and late hour have me nearly falling asleep). This is a rather heavy arc (when you finish reading, you'll understand)... BTW, one of my favorite villains has finally returned to Jump City. Bow your heads.

* * *

**Number One with a Bullet...**

October 13, 2007.

_"Well, that was it... They say all roads you take in life eventually lead you right back home, or something to that extent. There I was, standing on the roof of Titan Tower, my garage burning in the distance, and about to meet up with former teammates who probably had some interesting questions to ask. Robin would have the most direct ones, he probably knew before I even arrived that the gangs were on my ass. Still, no sense in holding back the inevitable..._

_Strange memories as I think back on that walk to the living room. I get them every time I walk through that building anymore; it doesn't quite seem as home as it used to. If you listen hard enough, you might even be able to hear ghosts of times gone by. Yes, I believe events themselves can have ghosts just as a person would. One ghost in particular might be the one who's room I stared at for a few moments... Jinx's room wasn't sealed off like Terra's was after her death but I couldn't bring myself to go inside. It would violate some weird form of trust that comes from working alongside a person on a team. Maybe later with the others' permission I'd go inside._

_It wasn't the dreary, dark hallway or the lack of style that was bringing me to this melancholy... All of it was an attempt to hide from the fact that I really didn't want to go through with this. It felt like telling your parents you broke the cookie jar and you were gonna fix it yourself, even though they'd still bitch at you for breaking it. Robin isn't exactly the understanding father type nor is Starfire the wise motherly kind neither. "Big brother" Cyborg would just stay out of the conversation while Raven and Argent watched me grill like eggs over the grill... Nevermind all of that, just get it over with and I'd be back on the streets paying back those bastards for all they'd forced me through..."_

As the door whooshes open and the room comes into view, a toothy grin can't help but slide onto his face. The Titans, despite the report of a major firefight and explosion two miles from their island, are scattered inside the living room as if the world's peachy-keen. Cyborg and Robin are mashing away on the Gamestation3, Raven ignoring them by levitating, gazing out of the window. Starfire and Argent look busy by the kitchen nook, the alien princess working with the Aussie woman on some unknown dish.

"I miss the quiet dignity of an Xbox..." The announcement, spoken without raising his voice, is enough to bring five pairs of eyeballs to his direction. Surprisingly Starfire doesn't latch onto him with a death-dealing hug nor does the group seem overly surprised at his arrival. "Wow, quiet isn't it?"

Game forgotten, Robin speaks up in a tone none befitting happiness. "You weren't at the funeral."

"I know." No need to lie, he wasn't there to say his goodbyes... _with_ everyone else. "I visited her later in the evening, didn't want to blow my cover."

The distance between the two is closed in a matter of moments, the masked hero raising his finger in a "follow me" gesture. "We need to talk."

* * *

The door in Robin's room closes behind the two, sealing them off from the world and anyone who might be listening in.

"Before you start, you need to get something through that green head of your's." This isn't going to be a good conversation. "What you do on _your_ time is _your_ business and _your_ responsibility. You've been given clearance by the mayor to do just whatever you think's necessary in order to stop the drugs and guns of this city. I didn't complain about it, I didn't argue it because I _thought_ you had a chance at making it. I had doubts but you seemed to find some _meaning_ in your work and you've pursued it with great zeal."

If not for the fact Gar's glasses are in his coat pocket, he might be glaring at Rob as much as the hero's glaring back. "Thanks for the compliment." No need for bullshit humor in this conversation, it's all seriousness and scowls from here on out.

"You've been stirring up trouble with the Desades as well as the Bulletface and Triad gangs.. Hell, I hear they've even put out a hit on you."

"What's my head worth?" A _hit_ huh?

"I'm not sure but it's obvious they're not going to let you keep playing in Jump City. I'm telling you this for your own protection; maybe you'll be more willing to quit this while you're ahead."

On second though... the sunglasses come out of his pocket and slip onto his nose, eyes hidden behind green glass. "No. I've been taught that if you're going to start a war, see it through to the end."

"A _war_? This isn't a video game, you can't just hit the reset button when you're starting to lose."

"Haven't played a video game since January and what I'm doing _isn't_ a game. This is as serious as it can get and I'm not afraid of going all the way to accomplish it."

Those eyes narrow further behind that black domino mask. "It's not a game, _huh_? Did you move Jinx like a pawn to get the help you needed?"

"As a matter of fact, _she_ came to _me_ asking to help and I told her no. The only reason I gave in was because she was hell-bent on doing something _useful_ for this city instead of chasing down masks and bank robbers."

"And LOOK where that got her!" Robin barks in anger, composure fading away. To Gar's credit, he maintains a stoic face that only the justified can wear so easily. "Now we've lost _another_ Titan, the mayor was livid when she heard about Jinx getting gunned down. Jesus, what the hell were you THINKING?"

The zippo might be a bit much at this moment but the twitch in his hand isn't going unnoticed by Gar. "Did you even KNOW her? Did you even know WHY she worked behind your back to try and help me? If you knew, maybe you'd be yelling about something more important."

"Like WHAT? Go ahead, Gar, tell me what I SHOULD yell at you for?" If only... Batman wouldn't stand for this shit...

"You should yell at me for trying to deny her from helping me... even when you didn't mind me helping you when Gotham's nightmare came rolling through." The sarcastic, near-insulting retort is enough for Robin to nearly blow a gasket in his head. Gar, who in his ten months alone has faced down Question, Light, Scarecrow, and dozens of other crazies, maintains his composure as best as he can.

"So now you're blaming _me_ for what happened to Jinx?"

"I'm not blaming ANYONE except the people who were RESPONSIBLE! Did you ever find out where Deadshot went? Did you ever find out who PAID him to kill her? This was a HERO-RELATED KILL! If anything, YOU should let ME know what's going on so I CAN HELP YOU AVENGE HER!"

* * *

The heated conversation doesn't stay contained within the walls of Robin's room. Even at dinner, the mood seems tense as Gar horks down a plate of beans while only idle talk dominates the conversation. The frugal nature of Gar's meal seems a start contrast to the grilled surplus that Cyborg has arranged. No tofu, no imitation eggs or milk for Gar.. only heated beans and lots of them. Only once does the vagrant look up at his friends, a polite attempt at a smile at Starfire as her eyes linger on him a bit longer in puzzlement.

"Do you not wish to partake in any of the other foods, Garfield?"

"Fine like this." Protein, large quantity for cheap, less hassle than a stove or an oven. Microwave or a small fire will do the job every time. "I've been eating light lately."

"Yeah, we've noticed." Cyborg remarks, his platter or ribs seeming so over the top next to Gar's small meal. "How you been keepin' around town? You find an apartment or something?"

Swallowing some of his food, Gar points out "In a way. Seven million people in the Bay Area, that's a lot of empty buildings. Hell, you don't wanna know how many homes I have in North Jump alone."

"Ten?" Cy offers a reasonable guess.

"More like two hundred. Mmm.. See, a friend of mine came up with a theory that I thought is just amazing." Another bite of beans, the green vigilante suggests the most obvious of un thought ideas. "He told me to think like an animal, right? Well, animals have wide territories. Well, I consider the Bay Area to be my territory, right? Why should I only have _one_ den? If you think like an animal, you can live like one. I can sleep anywhere I want, use rooftops like roads anytime I need, and can get food anywhere I choose to hunt."

"Interesting way of putting it." Argent suggests, curiosity peaked by this outward thinking.

"Sounds like vagrancy to me." Robin comments, his meal picked apart like a bird.

Offering a smile, Starfire's optimism tries to break through the chill casting over the table. "Surely you have met some new people in your travels?"

Stopping a moment, Gar offers the young princess. "Yeah, you could say that. I've met high-paid CEOs and poverty-class hobos. Lots of good and plenty of bad."

"You're a regular man of the people, aren't you?" Cy asks, diggin' into some corn on the cob. "Meet any ladies out there?"

That comment brings a pause to Gar's thoughts, instead he moves back to the plate of beans.

"It's true, isn't it? You _did_ meet someone." Argent might not be psychic like Raven but a woman can read a man better than he can read himself.

Not the best subject... too much feminism in one room... "If it's ok, I'd rather not get into that. It's a bit... private."

"Aw c'mon man, don't tell me you're _embarrassed_? You can talk to us, man." Cy just can't resist that playful urge, the tension Robin's exuding seems to be creeping into Gar.

"For her safety, can we not talk about it?" Prying is one thing but this is becoming annoying. "The less you know, the better off you'll be."

* * *

Later in the evening, past ten o'clock with the moon high above the Pacific Ocean, Gar sits outside, staring at the city. With his coat lying behind him, his thoughts are caught up in a mess of memories and dreams.. Years ago he'd stare at the sky and seldom the city he calls home but... the same beauty and ugliness he saw on that dreary day in January still seems to captivate his eyes... There's a _hit_ on Gar now or is that just some mumbo Robin's using to try and scare him? Jake or Question would've called if something that drastic were going down.. He never mentioned _who_ placed the hit anyway although you can take your pick on who might be up for the task. They might've gotten his garage but they didn't get _her_ and that's what counts.

"So he let you stay the night, didn't he?"

Looking back, Garfield's about to respond when he notices an odd fact about Raven: She's not wearing her usual cloak and leotard. For the first time since that fateful day in June, Gar sees her wearing the jeans and tank top she fashioned during her bout with Never Fear. "He said I'd have to be out in the morning. Funny how nice he's been to me, isn't it?"

"He's just worried about you. We all are." Standing next to her former teammate, she looks out across the water towards the city.

The silence almost seems peaceful, as if neither mind the fact they're both staring at the glowing city in the distance. "I'm worried about me, too."

"You seemed different today than the last time we saw you. I can tell when you're hiding things."

"Psychically?"

A shake of the head, she replies honest "As a friend. I haven't seen you try to hide your emotions like that since you went out on your own."

Sighing, the breath turning to vapor as the promise of winter draws closer in the ocean air, he remarks "You're right, as always..."

Taking a seat next to him, she asks simply "Something bad?"

Pointing towards the remains of the garage, far in the distance, Gar answers "Something real bad. Something I swore I'd never do but had to if I wanted to stay alive."

...

"I killed some people today. I was defending my home at the time, that garage just off the strip over there. I had the place booby-trapped, even Robin would've been proud to see it. It wasn't the grenades that got them, or my shotgun... it was a trap I set up that probably was overkill. They were cut to bloody pieces."

"Were they coming to kill you?"

"There were over twenty of them with guns, I'd say they were."

"And did you _want_ them to die?"

Hmm... "No, I didn't. Stun them, keep them from shooting at me.. But I didn't _want_ them to die."

Her eyes turning towards his own, she calmly tells him "Then it was an accident."

"Yeah but... Rae, something else happened that scared me a bit." Blinking, he looks away from her for a moment to gaze at the city. "I shot at a few of them but aimed at non-vital spots... but as I did it, something happened. I could see better, hear better too... It was like I had the eyes of an Eagle and the steadiness of a rock. Everything seemed.. green.. It didn't last long but I could _see_ everything like I'd never seen it before."

"That sounds strange. Has it ever happened before?"

"No, that was the first time. It was like everything got amped for a moment then disappeared that quick. I felt like I was in total focus and control..."

Suggestions might shed some insight... "It could've been adrenaline or maybe something to do with your animal powers. I'm not sure what it really _could_ be but if it helped you focus more then it's something you should consider finding out how to control. It could save your life."

Leaning back on his hands, Gar considers the fact of his life out loud. "Is one's life worth saving? What if we spend our whole lives trying to stay alive, helping others, when all we're really doing is running away from the truth?"

"What truth?"

"In the end it doesn't really matter what we've done, who we've tried to help. We could all die tomorrow and the universe would never even know we existed."

...

"That's deep, coming from you. You've grown up since you've moved out, haven't you?" Even her eyes can raise in astonishment. This isn't the same boy who left their presence... who is this man?

"I've seen so many things and done just as many in these past ten months. Everything feels like it's moving so fast and the only thing I can put a handle on is the things closest to me. Right now I've been living with a friend in North Jump and working for some others throughout the Bay Area. All my life is anymore is sleep, eat, work... The more freedom I get, the more trapped by life I feel. Sooner or later I feel I'm just going to explode..."

"You've taken on a great responsibility. You've chosen the path and now it's time to follow it all the way to the end."

"Even if I die for nothing at all?"

Soft, caring, she answers that call for hope ringing in his heart. "As long as it's for what you believe in, yes."

Smile breaking through his face, he lets off a tiny laugh as the tension melts away from his body. Surprising the woman beside him, he throws an arm around her shoulders in a small hug. "Thanks Rae, I needed that."

... what doesn't occur to him is that, unlike the years before this one, Raven isn't removing his arm...

* * *

The next morning, before his exit from the Tower, Gar has it in him for one last breakfast with the group. Who knows when he'll be coming back again? This simple fact is overshadowed during eggs on toast by a call on his earpiece from an outside line. Stepping into the living room, he presses his finger to the button.

"Speak."

_"Garfield... Mark... Logan?"_ The low, so-calm-it's-creepy tone sets off a warning in the green man's head.

"Yeah?" Pacing, he doesn't have time for games this early in the morning.

_"I thought as much. Antoine Desade was kind enough to let me use this contact. Tell me something, do you know who I am?"_

"If you're a friend of Desade's then you're not a friend of mine.. therefore I don't give a fuck who you are."

_"Temper, temper.. and here I was going to offer my little gift as a means of introduction.. But since you've decided to be rude, I'm afraid I'll have to make a mess of things."_

"Listen you shit.." Temper flaring up, enough for the Titans to notice, Gar's ready to break the earpiece in anger. "Whatever kind of sick game you're playing..."

_"Games? My dear boy, this isn't a game. In fact, I think it's best if you come down and see for yourself just how real this will become."_

"Where?"

A cackling, eerie laugh on the other end, the voice merely states... _"42nd Street in North Jump. I'll let you guess which second-floor apartment..."_

Earpiece mashing off, Gar shouts at Robin the address in question and to get their asses moving. Not waiting for a reply, Gar finds an exit in the window as an amoeba, outside shifting into a Peregrine Falcon and darting off for North Jump...

The Titans won't be there for quite some time, traffic isn't on their side during the mornings. In a mere six minutes, the Falcon lands outside of the apartment, racing through the door and up the steps. The door is kicked open, not a good sign...

...

The horror... Enough to drop Gar to his knees, mouth agape and eyes wide as basketballs. The tears come fast but the shock holds firm, his voice unable to vocalize a single word. Before him is a sight straight from the mind of a psychopath given physical form. Blood all over the walls, through the kitchen and bedroom.. So much that one can't imagine where all of it possibly came from... And in the middle of the apartment, clutching at her stomach with a scream still planted on her face, Kristine lies dead for the world to see. Her body a mangled, torn up shell of her once-vibrant self... Most of her torso is torn apart, organs laid out on the floor, her eyes removed and face held open in a scream... Around her head, almost in a halo of blood, are the words forever etching itself in Gar's brain.

"MY GIFT TO YOU: FROM HELL"

Shaking his head, head pounding and rage building, Gar feels a need to flee.. this can't be real.. IT CAN'T BE REAL...

...

Down the steps, feet wavering... she can't be... towards the door and daylight... she CAN'T be... Turn the knob, exit to the street... he loved her...

"Oh Lord, thou who hast led me from my home to this place, lead me not to the fields of Elysium. For I have come nought to claim the souls of thy believers..."

Gar's bloodshot eyes turn to his right, to the sound of prayer amidst this horrifying day... Only to see a man in black priest clothes, a bright, gray trench coat over his large frame. Around his neck rests a silver cross glittering with diamonds... In his black-gloved hand, a bible is read from while the man speaks each with the stoic tone of a crusader before judgment... And to his side stands the right-hand of James Bryson: "Black Jade" Daiyu.

"... I have come to claim the deceiver, he who walks in the cloth and skin of man. This demon possesses and traps the pious and shuns the light from He which created all things. In His name, I will rid the Earth of this filth and send him back to Pandæmonium! AMEN!"

* * *

A/N2: FINALLY! The Baptist makes his return to my series (if you don't know who he is, you'll love him, trust me.) Kris dies in a way my long-term readers will probably go nuts over.. and if you don't know who it is, feel free to look up the "FROM HELL" refrence. Daiyu and the Baptist vs. Gar in the last chapter of the "Number One with a Bullet..." arc, can't wait to see how it ends. Hell, I CAN'T WAIT TO WRITE THE 3-PART MINI-ARC AFTERWARD!

Trivia:  
- First chapter of the arc without a Jameson reference.

Rhetorical:  
Please go visit FantasyMind93 (on this site)'s deviantart page for her amazing artwork. She just did a version of Kris that you might enjoy. DO IT!


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: So Number One with a Bullet is now wrapped up... The title of the arc wasn't necessarily meant to reflect something direct in the story, mainly the concept of shooting to the top so fast you don't even know it. Gar's case, he thought he was on top of the world in so short a time that he didn't realize just how fucked he really was. This fight isn't pretty, it's actually very bloody (for something I'd write). It might seem a little awkward but this isn't meant to be some grand "epic" battle, it's a down-to-Earth fight between a religious nutcase, an assassin, and a shapeshifter...

* * *

**Number One with a Bullet...**

October 14, 2007.

"You..." Gar hisses to himself, shock and grief collapsing into rage, bubbling up to the surface. Taking his shotgun in hand, aiming it one-armed at the two, the vagrant's voice breaks with anguish. "Did you do this? You goddamn monsters!"

"Take not the Lord's name in vain..." the man in gray warns, closing his bible and sliding into his coat pocket. His iron-cut jaw pulls back into a brisk smile at the fight about to break. "... for you would not wish to upset Him moments before you meet Him."

A pair of knives in her hands, Daiyu offers a break from the religious-spouting man to her left. "I haven't forgotten you, Garfield Logan."

Gar, however, isn't in the mood for the usual pre-battle pleasantries. His garage has been burnt down, Robin may have banned him from the Tower, and now the woman he loved... "ANSWER ME! DID YOU KILL HER?"

"Who is it you ask about?" the man speaks, a pair of cards pulled from the inside of his jacket is spread between his fingers. Daiyu with her knives seems more intimidating, even with her foot and half shorter frame, next to the mass of a man with mere poker cards between his fingers.

"Don't you fucking lie to me you piece of shit!" Gar screams, the gun trembling in his hand. "I find her body torn apart, blood everywhere, and then you leave a message "from hell"... And when I come out, some son of a bitch wearing priest clothes starts babbling about JESUS! And I'm sure Bulletface sent _you_ as well, didn't he?"

"And there you find yourself wrong in both accounts." Unlike Daiyu, this man dares to step forward, the cards dancing between his palms. "You accuse me of committing a _mortal sin_? I heard you were a loose cannon but I didn't expect I'd be crossing paths with a fool. I don't know which woman you speak of but, then again, I'm not here for anyone but _you_, you foul bastard of hell."

"The Baptist speaks the truth." Daiyu announces, a step behind but eyes still locked on Gar like a hunter on it's prey. "We were told to be at this apartment building at this time. Whoever happened to kill your friend did it before we arrived."

Eyes narrowing farther, teeth barring in hate, Gar spits at the two of them. "I don't believe a damn word out of either one of you. You'd kill an innocent woman just to get to _me_?"

Cards snapping with each shuffle, rather comfortable in his hands, the Baptist's grin only widens further. "Of the three of us, Watchman, you have the most nerve calling us liars. You who hide behind the clothes and skin of man, mocking the image of our Lord, and corrupting the lost souls of this Earth with your self-righteousness. Pray to our Lord with fear and perhaps he'll show you mercy at the gates of Heaven."

No reply, only a single twelve-gauge bullet fires forth from Gar... To no effect as the Baptist deflects the bullet with one of his cards.

"What?" Rage giving way to surprise, there's no way he managed to dodge it... How in the hell did he move so _fast_?

"And on top of mimicking our human race, you dare hide behind the weapons of man? I know your true form lies not as a man but as an unholy, animalistic monster."

This fight might be more difficult than Gar was expecting. Even scarier is that even Daiyu seems to be giving this psychotic priest his fair distance.

No more than ten feet from Gar now, Baptist aligns twenty-six cards in both hands, grin wide and smug for the world. Daiyu, at his side still, has her two blades ready to pierce Gar's heart, her sick glare hinting at the revenge forthcoming. "Shall we begin, _monster_?"

Daiyu launches the first attack, charging in with her blades aimed at his head, a sword-dancer in the wind. Gar barely has time to return his gun to it's place in his coat and dodge the incoming attack, rolling out of the way. Relentlessly she pursues, the fire of the hunt in her eyes while Gar's is frantic with maintaining the pace. Knife-fighting isn't entirely his forte', especially against someone who obviously knows what they're doing. Still, he has one advantage the others don't... Gaining a few feet of distance, Gar takes his holoring off.

"Since you already know who I am... There's no point in holding back."

Baptist's smile only becomes more twisted, more evil. This revelation is just what he was looking for. "So the demon reveals himself..."

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" Daiyu asks, about to pounce at the drop of a hat. "If you were smart, you would not have kept your same eye color."

"Yeah because there's _only_ one person in this city with green eyes..." Sarcasm heavy, he takes two of his own blades off their holders in his coat. The butterfly knife might be longer but the boot knife looks more dangerous. "Bryson obviously didn't hire you for your brains, did he?"

No answer from the Chinese woman, only a howl of anger as she comes in fast, swiping mercilessly at Gar... But even though Gar counters or steps backward, he seems to lack the rage Daiyu is expressing. This isn't their first fight together and she doesn't seem to be changing her style at all.

Then again, as Gar leaps back a few feet, she spins on her heel. Hair unfolding from it's place, on the spin back towards him, one of her hairknives are thrown at the green vigilante. The line of blood along his cheek proves that maybe this woman isn't as slow as he's treating her.

"I'm impressed... You're faster than you look."

"Funny," the sight of blood amongst green fingers is a bit different than what he's seen these past ten months. "I was about to say the same for you."

With this next charge, one that he'll surely dodge, Daiyu is stunned by the disappearance of the vagrant... More appropriately, stunned as a fly reappears from behind her failed lunge, changing into a gorilla, and throwing her against the side of an automobile.

"Well now, I see you've decided to use your demonic powers after all." Baptist taunts, his black gloves gripping a few poker cards idly. "I must say that's quite an inventive use. What _else_ can you do?"

"Unlike you humans, I can be any goddamn thing I want!" Time for a more extreme version of his powers, dip into his vast knowledge of sci-fi creatures and comic characters. "If you're going to _hunt_ me, you better know that sometimes the hunter becomes the _prey_." Eyes wide, this transformation hasn't been done before, Gar braces his body as his two enemies stare on confused... and perhaps even a bit afraid? His skin, already green, starts to become more yellowish in hue, clammy and slightly scaly as well. Eyes shrinking as his mouth sprouts four mandible-like appendages, he hisses in pain at the feeling. From his skull, the shaggy green hair gives way to long, thick green dreadlocks while his physical size sprouts over six and a half feet, dwarfing the Baptist by inches. With a magnificent roar, the predator is ready for his hunt.

"What a transformation... not only can you become Earthly animals but even science fiction ones as well?" Baptist admits, in awe at the sight before him. This is no ordinary metahuman, unlike what Antoine might have suggested.

For the first time in the fight, Daiyu seems to be afraid, albeit it hidden quite well, of the man before her. Her knives don't escape her but it seems her feet won't move anywhere closer to him at the present.

Rolling his shoulders, Baptist asks of the creature. "If you're truly as strong as that creature you're portraying, maybe you wouldn't mind a demonstration? I didn't come all the way down from Sacramento just to see you beat up a woman." Deck of cards flapping back and forth in his hands, he warns his opponent fair. "And before you think the Lord's day will save you, I don't _kill_ on Sundays... but that doesn't mean I can't put you through hell, now does it?"

No time for waiting, Gar's roar is loud and strong as he pushes forward. The Baptist throws a few cards at the green beast but each is side-stepped, black eyes staring down the holy man with each stride. Each card is avoided or knocked to the wayside, each one deflected only raises the hitman's concern up that much more. He can't even step back as the creature shoulder charges the large man, catching his feet and swinging him body first into the side of another car. Bouncing off, still gripped by Gar, he's spun about and rammed again before being thrown across the street into the side of a third car.

"What a beast... Surely one of the devil's own..."

Reverting back to his human form, Gar announces to both of them. "This is your last chance. You two tell me who killed Kristine or I'm going to skin you both and send your spines back to your bosses! I WON'T give you this chance again!" A snap of the fingers from the Baptist sends Gar's eyes rising in hate. "TELL ME WHO DID IT, SHIT STAIN, OR..."

The sound of tearing fabric, a spray of blood, combined with a howl of pain echoes through the neighborhood. Gar's eyes, previously narrowed, now appear wide as the sky.. mouth agape, pain coursing through his right shoulder, his left leg throbbing... The culprit reveals itself in the form of two poker cards embedded in both places, the Baptist's grin wide at the display.

"God's wrath comes in many forms and directions; why should it not come back to bite you?" At this announcement, Gar looks behind him to a horrible sight. With Daiyu standing behind in the background, her menacing grin returning, the other fifty cards are suspended in mid-air. Each one appears to be aimed his way just waiting for the order to fly.

"You're a psychic, aren't you?"

"Correct. A natural-born servant of God sent from Heaven to rid the world of filth like you. He gave me this power so that I might cleanse his world of your kind for all eternity." Clapping his hands together, the maniacal Baptist finishes his statement with but a word. "Amen."

At the word, the cards scatter like fish in the ocean, each moving in it's own path. Green eyes daring to and fro, looking for the one that intends to be his death, the terror growing even as the blood eases it's way out of his body. First to attack are a pair of nines followed by a trio of jacks. Despite the pain, Gar's able to avoid many of the incoming poker cards. Some only cut through his coat, others, however, find their way into his skin. Each rush of pain only slows his progress down but the animal instinct in him continues to push forward. Several cards are avoided by transforming into insects but each change is cut short by the rush of pain, breaking his focus.

"I'm _really_ impressed. I've never seen anyone survive this long against my poker cards." Baptist remarks, Daiyu standing by his side once more. "You're lucky I'm only using _one_ deck."

"Don't forget he needs to die. Bulletface and Desade won't be happy if he gets away alive."

The green vigilante is holding his own quite well, maybe that second deck might be needed after all. "I don't kill on Sundays but I'm sure you'd be happy enough to finish the job? I hear you've got a score to settle with him."

"He owes me his eyes." Their past battle in the warehouse hasn't gone unforgotten, not in the slightest. "Today I'll claim his debt."

An explosion ruins their conversation, startling them back to reality. Gar, bloody and ragged, stands in the street with drops of red liquid pooling on the ground. Mouth agape, struggling for air, his left eye closed from blood streaking down his forehead, he asks of them "Is that everything?" No cards in the air, only the smell of explosives.

"How did..?"

"I'm a natural-born weapon of mass destruction." Spitting some blood, Gar motions to Daiyu. "Your boss was kind enough to bring all those weapons into my city.. Thanks to him, I have an entire arsenal of weapons to use.. You'd be amazed with the damage an M67 can do to sharpened poker cards.."

Second deck in his hand, ready to use, Baptist urges his enemy on "Well then, let's see how long you can keep this pace up. I have all day."

"Duck." The statement seems to catch the two off-guard but the sight of a C4 being thrown at them isn't. The cards scatter, ready to cut this device apart when a single BANG echoes through the street. The smoking Colt Python in hand, the .357 round cuts through the combustible explosive. The ensuing blast scatters the cards, knocking the two off their feet... The perfect opportunity.

Leaning up from the street, Baptist snaps his fingers once again even as the vagrant bares down upon them. "Foolish child.. You forgot about the joker!"

...

Turning about, the last thing Gar sees is the evil smile of a black-hatted jester before the card embeds itself into his throat. Right into the larynx, a.k.a. the voicebox. Blood spurting outward, he grasps at his throat with a pale, wide-eyed look of fear. This was just too goddamn ironic even for him, getting cut down by the black sheep of the card deck. Dropping to his knees, he can feel his life slipping away as the blood starts to exit harder than before.

"Well, you put up a good fight, _demon_." Baptist remarks from behind, out of sight.

"But it wasn't good enough." Daiyu finishes for her teammate. If it weren't for the sight of the T-Car approaching down the street, Gar might already be on his way to the next life. "It seems your friends are just about here."

"I wonder if he'll survive until they get here?" Baptist muses, the bloody back of the Watchman enough to warrant the thought. "Would they be able to save him?"

"We're not going to find out. This is where he dies." The sound of sharp knives scraping each other sounds almost as scary as the ringing in Gar's head. "I told you they won't accept anything less than his death."

"He's as good as dead right now. By the time they get him to a hospital, his throat will have swollen up enough to choke him. Let him suffer a heretic's slow, painful death."

A growl in her throat, Daiyu's pride is being taken away by this decision. "No, I will _not_ be robbed like this! They _might_ be able to save him if we don't do this now!"

Footsteps turning and walking away? "Then His will be done. On the rare chance he _does_ return, we'll kill him proper. He fought well, let him suffer a death befitting a warrior as well as the damned."

* * *

_"Is this where it was all going to end? Outside of Kris's house, a bloody mess, and on the verge of death? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.. I'd get to be with Kris, Jinx, my parents... No drugs, no guns, no fighting, no suffering, only peace... The Titans would be sad but I wouldn't infringe on their mission anymore. My luck I'd see Raven from time to time... I guess all things really do move according to the whims of the great magnet.. God, Allah, Yahweh, Buddha... I don't know which one really exists but I'd be seeing him soon enough._

_..._

_Or would I?"_

_

* * *

_

A/N2: The bloody conclusion to an otherwise harsh arc. Now I can finally get about to writing the arc I've been dying for months to write: "Wake Up, Dead Man". It'll be a 3-part mini-arc that I'll probably be releasing all at once (so don't expect an update within a day, ok?). I wanted to write a fight where Gar's abilities are lacking in a way. Daiyu was a distraction while Baptist could literally cut him apart with cards... the only thing that saved him is that Baptist doesn't kill on Sundays. Still, a card through the larynx, that's not gonna help.. Even if Raven does heal him, that's not going to bode well for his voice.

Trivia:  
- Yes, I made a Predator reference. In the 2nd draft, Gar became a Xenomorph Alien once.. why not a Predator?  
- "You forgot the Joker" is a reference to "Ace of Spades" by Motorhead... "And don't forget the Joker!" Hey, he's using poker cards, gimme a break.

Rhetorical:  
You know the next 3 are gonna be good when I'm bursting at the seams in excitement. I promise NO ONE's gonna see what's coming._  
_


	34. Wake Up, Dead Man

A/N: I couldn't resist, it wrote itself so damn fast. Part 1 of a special 3-part mini-arc (which closes out the first 1/3rd of this saga). Gar has a very interesting discussion with a certain woman that NO ONE expected EVL to write about. This might seem superficial on the surface but dig deep and try to find the links that could spell the future of this series. I've been dying since June to write this chapter... and by extension this arc... Here we go, enjoy. 

* * *

**Wake Up, Dead Man...**

_The sky is rather blue today... whispy, faint clouds lazily passing by on that cool, ocean wind. The beauty above looks just as beautiful as the soft feel of the grass on the back... Salt in the air, seagulls in flight high above, could this be any sweeter? Is it a dream... a vision..._

_"Hi hi."_

_Hmm? Who said that? Left to right, there isn't a single soul to be seen._

_Face coming into view, the pale face of a woman appears, smiling. More pale than Raven's even, black hair... Wow... Is that tattoo around her eye Egyptian?_

_"Enjoying your nap?"_

_Was he sleeping? Better question would be how did he get to this field to fall asleep in the first place? "I think I was... but how did I get here?"_

_Her pleasant smile only grows a bit more "The same way everyone else comes here."_

_Sitting up, the trench coat remains on the ground. Must've been using it as a pillow but that doesn't explain where all his weapons went. "Did I... fly here?"_

_On the grass the gothic-looking woman sits across from him, Indian-style. The silver ankh around her neck blows lightly in the wind. "Maybe. You can do that, right?"_

_"Only as an animal that can..." Hand on his face, Gar looks to his left and right. "Wow, it goes on forever, doesn't it?"_

_"Sometimes. It all depends where you want to go." Pointing behind her, she suggests "You can goto the ocean or..." to the right "... the mountains..." finally to the left "...hmm, where did that go again?"_

_For the first time in the conversation, the question of who she is finally pops into his mind. "Wait, who are you exactly? I've never seen you before."_

_Looking away, smile still on her face, she runs a hand through her thick head of raven-black hair. "Well, you _may_ have but that's a different story. Say, you said you can transform into animals, right?"_

_Well, this one sure is strange. "Huh? Yeah, any kind I've ever seen as I long as I can keep the image in my head."_

_Bringing her hands together with a bright burst of glee, she asks him "Could you turn into an animal for me? Please?"_

_Standing up, confused slightly but it can't hurt to play along, this woman seems so adament. "Sure.. what would you like?"_

_"Oooh, could you turn into a falcon?"_

_That one definitely gets the eyebrow turned up. "A falcon? You really dig the Egyptian theme, don't you?"_

_"Maybe I do? So let's see it, change into a falcon."_

_Her enthuisiam might be contagious as he finds a smile gliding onto his face. All it takes is an image of the bird in his mind as his body changes into the bird. Standing on his coat, the bird blinks, moving it's head side to side as if inspecting the area._

_"Wow, you're good. You look just like the real thing. Hey could you be one of those giant dinosaurs?"_

_Back as a human, Gar suggests "Take your pick, there were lots of big ones back then."_

_"Any kind, the bigger the better!"_

_"The biggest. Let's see what you can do!"_

_Hands together, Gar stretches just a bit. It's been awhile since he's done this, even longer since something this big. "Ok, because you've been so nice. How about I do an Argentinosaurus?"_

_"Wow, what's in a name, huh?" Leaning forward, chin on her hands, she accepts. "Go for it."_

_Nodding, Gar focuses his mind on the dinosaur. All one-hundred plus tons of reptilian weight, one-hundred and twenty feet long..._

_WHOOSH_

_Nearly half a football field long, one it's back vertebraes at an impressive four feet thick, the mighty, green dinosaur lets off an howling echo befitting a TItan. _

_On her feet now, she beckons to him far above her head. "That's amazing! Wow, you're huge!"_

_Lowering it's head to face her, it's skull seems like a car in front of her rather than a living creature's head. "Ok, now you're just showing off."_

_Reverting to a human, albeit it a bit wobbly from the rapid shrink to human, Gar dusts himself off a bit. "I wouldn't say that. I haven't had a lot of opportunities to use that form."_

_"I know. You haven't done a lot of animal changes lately, have you?"_

_Did the vibe just change? Oh, you bet it did. "How would you know that?"_

_Turning away, that grin on her face turning more sagely than happy. Hands together behind her back, she takes a step to the left. "I could tell by the way you had to focus on an animal rather than just doing it. You never had to take your time like that before."_

_Following, Gar suggests "They were also animals I hadn't been in a long time."_

_Head tilted to the side, she admits "True. Would it be different if I mentioned a simple housefly?"_

_"Maybe. I've been using that form a lot when I get into fights."_

_A quiet chuckle, eyes up to the sky, she asks "You've been getting into them a lot lately, haven't you?"_

_"As of late, yeah. How do you know so much about me?"_

_Hair brushed to the side, she warns him "I know more about you than anyone alive."_

_..._

_Gar doesn't keep walking at that statement. The vibe definitely has gone from amusing to cautious in a hurry. "Look, I don't know who you are but if you got something to say, make it fast. I don't have forever to..."_

_Another laugh, non-threatening but still retaining that wise aspect to it, she asks "How long is forever? Would you like to find out?"_

_Even as he pulls his gun out from his coat, the feeling of eeriness continues to build. Add to the fact that the gun appears to be empty, the bullets missing. "What did you do to.."_

_Hands up, back-peddling she tells him "Hey hey, calm down, no need for that. I didn't do anything to you and I ain't here to hurt you either. Jeez, you're all fun at first then you get so serious."_

_"Excuse me if I'm a bit startled by all of this. One minute I'm kneeling on a street back home, the next I'm in a field talking to a gothic-looking woman who's telling me she knows everything about me."_

_"To be fair, I never said "everything".. I only said more than anyone else would know." Sitting down once again, a move she gestures him to do as well, she continues. "All of this is to try and calm you down for what you need to know. Trust me, people from Earth tend to have a hard time accepting what I tell them. You'd think were all gods or something, sheesh."_

_Hesistant at first, Gar finally relents but not without keeping a steady eye on her. "What do you want to tell me then?"_

_..._

_"I know you from what other people have told me. You've been a big part of quite of few people's lives over the years and they've all told me such wonderful stories." Ticking off her fingers, she starts "Your father spoke about how well you enjoyed nature of animals and your mother loved your inquistive, compassionate side towards other people." The mention of his parents seems to found it's effect; his expression is far from angry... "Hey, did you know Jinx was starting to fall in love with you?"_

_If he was feeling emotional from his parents, this must feel like a shot to the chest. "Love..?"_

_"Oh yeah, she said it was something about how honest you were. She told me the other friends you have are always so scared to do the right thing, as if there ever was something like that huh? Well... that and she said you were handsome."_

_Gar actually rubs the back of his head, embarassment creeping into his mind ever so slightly. "Yeah... that sounds like something she'd say... Wow, what a trip hearing all of this..."_

_"It gets better. Just awhile ago I had a fun conversation with Kristine. I'm sorry the way she had to leave your world but she honestly wanted to settle down with you. At first she only thought of you as a hero but... the more she got to know you, the more she thought you were the one."_

_The embarrassment, however, is buried by the revelation. If Kris talked to this woman then maybe she told her who dispatched her in the first place. "Did she mention who killed her?"_

_A slight pause in the goth's voice seems to indicate some divine rule. "She did but if I told you, I'd be stepping out of line. You have to understand I can only reveal what's been done, not what's going to happen. And before you start demanding, know that I would tell you if I could but I'm bound by the rules and I can't break it, even for this one time."_

_"Fine but you seem to know a lot of people from my past who died... Who exactly are you then?"_

_Alas that smile returns to her pale face once again. Nodding reverently, she introduces herself "I go by many names but you can call me... Death."  
_

* * *

_Through the field the two walk, the revelation of her identity sparking curiousity and suspicon from the vagrant vigilante. It might explain why the environment; the long fields and pristine sky. To an animal this might paradise, something not too far off from his own personal vision of Heaven._

_"So if you're the grim reaper..."_

_"Technically I am but don't worry, I'm not swingin' any scythes around and hoods are SO out of style."_

_Coughing a bit to corret himself. "Glad to know.. but if you're Death, why are you talking to me? Did I die from that last fight?"_

_"Hmm, maybe? I'm not too sure..." Tapping her chin with a finger, she reminds him "You were cut up pretty bad... Don't remember if you made it to the hospital in time."_

_"You know everything about me but you can't remember if I survived or not?" A bit of an irony in that statement. "It's actually kinda funny if you think about it."_

_"Well if you're here that means you could've died... but your soul isn't aware of it so you might still be in your body. Should we take a look? Yes, that'll work!" _

_Pointing at the sky, a giant vision of reality appears at her command. The scene unfolding isn't too pretty given all the medical equipment and doctors. No sound but the machines don't look too good, flatlines appearing and surgeons working overtime._

_"Hmm, seems you've been flatline for a few minutes now."_

_Inwardly the vagrant gulps to himself. Those wounds, especially by his throat, don't look too pretty at all. To his surprise though, Raven's working alongside the doctors to try and help save his life using her magics._

_"She's an interesting girl, isn't she?" Death proposes, watching the empath try with all her might to stablize his body._

_"Raven's just misunderstood. It took me years before I realized that, I always thought she was a creepy goth chick."_

_Hands on her hips, turning to Gar, Death pouts a bit and asks "If she was a creepy goth chick, I can only imagine what you've thought about me."_

_"Raven doesn't strike me as an eighties punk singer, that much I can tell you."_

_With a huff, she turns back to the "screen" in the sky. "As a matter of fact, I like the way I look. It's a lot better than the skull and scythe-look, jerk."_

_Stepping forward a bit to get a better look, Gar points out that "Seems that card to my neck did more damage than I thought." Head tilted to the side, the strange feeling of observing his own body ignored for now, he wonders "Probably took out the larynx and possibly even the airway. Even if I do go back, I'm not gonna have much of a voice at all. Shit, I'll be lucky if I even get back to life with those kinds of wounds."_

_"You're taking this oddly well." Death points out, watching as the doctors try to stitch up some of the wounds Raven is ignoring._

_"Either I'm going to live a life with a major injury to my throat or I'll die and probably end up going to hell or worse."_

_That last bit catches her attention, the deity of death asking "Why would you go to hell?"_

_"I've committed murder during my time on Earth. There's no way I'm going to heaven after that." Her soft chuckling turns Gar away from the screen, geniune confusion on his face. "Why are you laughing?"_

_"Do you really believe you'll go to hell because of what you've done? The universe works much deeper than humans can begin to comprehend." Pointing at the screen, Death asks "The man who did this believes a divine creator will raise him to Heaven when he dies. He believes so strongly in this that he'll kill people but, get this, only for money. Hyprocrisy in it's strongest form... Piety for payment... You killed men in self-defense but he kills for selfishness... And you believe you're the one going to hell."_

_While she has a point, Gar questions "So there's no morality in the world?"_

_"Even the most evil of men move on when their life ends. Even if Morningstar dies, his soul will return again in a new form." Looking back at the screen, she assures him "The choice to go to hell, heaven, or reincarnate is entirely up to you.. But before you die, you get what everyone gets: One lifetime."_

_Blinking, this answers the entirety of the human paradox of "what comes after death?". "Do you mean... even if I kill.. even if I kill evil people on Earth... I can still save my soul?"_

_A smile directed his way, Death offers "You don't need to save what you never lost in the first place."_

_Eye turning back towards the screen, his body being worked on as they speak, the realization of life starts to fill his mind._

_"You're not ready to pass on, are you?"_

_No, definitely not. Too many things to do._

_"All it would take is a simple handshake and you could be with your parents again.. with the women that loved you?"_

_The gangs, the criminals, and all the masks.. who would make them pay for hurting humanity?_

_"You could start over fresh, a new person in a different part of the universe."_

_"I can't do that, there's far too much to do back on Earth. I'll be reborn, all right, but not as a different human being. Garfield Logan might not survive but the Watchman won't die that easily."_

_That knowing grin on her face still present, she wonders aloud "You'll be returing to a body that's been dead for three minutes. Most of your wounds aren't that serious but you'll have a hard time eating, breathing, and probably won't be able to talk ever again."_

_Eyes narrowing, reaching into his coat pocket for a pair of sunglasses. Sliding the green shades on, he turns to the vision of Death. "Then I'll let my actions speak for me."_

_"I see. Jinx was right about you... You're a stubburn bastard... But at least you're stubborn for the right reasons I suppose."_

_"I just hope the universe doesn't judge too harshly the next time I see you."_

_Her laugh returns again, offering a two-finger salute. "Without death, life wouldn't have it's precious meaning. Keep that in mind when you go back to your work."_

_"I will... and thank you." Returning the salute, Gar asks "Could you do me one last favor?"_

_"Hmm?"_

_"When I get back out on the street, could you lead me somewhere where I could buy one of those ankhs? It'd be nice to have a reminder of all of this."_

_As Gar's soul begins to fade away from the grassy field, Death assures him "Done. Take care, Garifleld. I'll be watching._

_

* * *

_

A/N2: Yes, I actually included Death of the Endless in this story (more of a cameo though, she won't be a recurring character). Ever since I saw the character art on a DC post, I knew she'd have to meet Gar... On top of that, who better to give him some small closure on the three biggest deaths in his life? And beyond that, who better to inspire his methods than the one who judges him at the end of his life? The only bad part is what form of body will he be returing to after that vicious attack by the Baptist? The next chapter will be much darker than this one was (this chapter needed a laugh), to the point where his talk with Death will blend with reality... creating something..

Trivia:  
- Argentiosaurus is proposed to be the largest land animal of all time (disputed but most accepted).  
- Also referenced the Lucifer comic series (did you guess where?)  
- Death will "be watching".. subtle...

Rhetorical:  
- I wonder how many of my readers actually knew who Death was?


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Would've updated yesterday but, in the process of installing (and then deleting Ubuntu Linux), I've lost my original Windows XP (and factory standard). So I'm just glad I have music and a word processor. Ok, onto this chapter.. you may notice it's not Gar's perspective at first (it's fun being someone else sometimes). "Why doesn't Gar remember Death?" you might ask.. do you remember every dream you have at night? What if you just go through something trumatic? Oh, before I forget, for the people asking "Who's Death?".. if you've ever read or heard of the Sandman comic series (DC's Vertigo line), you'd recognize her immediately. She's a funny character, skittles will love her. It was a little interesting swingin' this chapter (although the final twist will have my long-time readers saying "Uh-huh, you said you'd NEVER use (that person), lyin' sack of shit!" Part 2 of 3 of this weird masterpiece...

FYI: =means Gar's writing=

**Wake Up, Dead Man...**

* * *

_How did he survive that? He was dead for over three minutes, with a throat almost split in half, and nearly three pints of blood loss; he should've died on that operating room table... But, amazingly, he didn't. Somehow he survived all of the stab wounds, the card impaled through his throat, and the loss of fluids... _

_Other than his larynx, the rest of the wounds were relatively minor. All it took was some concentration to close up the more serious ones and then let the other doctors work on the smaller ones. As for his throat, however, that took a great deal of willpower. We found out later how lucky we were that the poker card didn't pierce as deep as we feared but it was still a critical situation. _

_That wasn't the most frightening part of the whole event: It was the brief moment he awoke. Like a monster from one of his low-budget horror films, he suddenly sprang up to life after being dead for three minutes. It was as though he could hear the doctor saying they'd need to possibly work a tracheotomy to get him to breathe... His green eyes were wild as though his soul just returned into his body, snatching the lead surgeon by the collar... The sight of his mouth wide open, blood splurting out despite the transfusion in his arm, that horrible gurgling sound... I'll never forget it as long as I'm alive. Everyone in the group seemed startled by this but they recovered faster than I did as he collapsed back onto the table._

* * *

_By the seventh day, I had reached the breaking point. We managed to stabilize him between the first two days but they had to keep close watch on him. He hadn't woken since his outburst on the operating table, not until the fourth day. I was reviewing some X-Rays outside of his room when we heard a screaming, blood-curdling "roar" from his room. The orderlies and me rushed into the room to find him clutching at his head, howling but without his normal voice.. Like the sound Plasmus makes when he's nearby. That oozing, slimy noise he emits when he moves sounded exactly like the fluid echoing inside Gar's mouth and throat. It didn't last long as the staff subdued him with sedatives..._

_He looked like a wild animal inside of a man's body. The shaggy green hair, almost down to his shoulders, seemed more fitting on a lion than my friend. The fangs, barring wide for something only he could see, hiding in the darkness... and when he looked at me before the drugs took hold, my mouth fell open for the first time in years. They weren't the vibrant, expressive eyes of Garfield Logan.. they were a solid green, no pupils, no whites.. just an ominous green glow that brought a chill to my spine..._

_On day six, I received a call from Robin. It wasn't good news for the team as a whole but it would be devastating to Gar once he woke up. The mayor had all she would take and, effective immediately, not only was he to be officially removed from the Titans but he was also banned from further vigilante activities. She warned us that the "pretend stand" on crime by one of the Titans was an embarrassment to the city and it's efforts to clean up the city's underworld. The only reason she wouldn't publicly announce this fact was out of respect for the Titans and their work... as well as to keep the public relations nightmare down to a minimum._

_..._

_What bothered me the most was how readily Robin accepted it. With the bare minimum of argument he agreed to let a teammate, a friend of seven years, off the team while he recovered from a near-death injury. "It needs to be done, he's gone too far. Next time he won't be lucky enough to have us bail him out." I think I actually felt anger when he told me that on the communicator. He was so serious and yet so condescending.. like he knew this would all go wrong. Maybe it's how he deals with losing teammates but if he treats losing a friend like this then he's a bigger asshole than I thought he could be... wow, Gar's influence must be rubbing off on me._

* * *

White ceilings... why do they always have to be white? And why do all the machines have to be so damned loud? Beep... beep... beep.. like you're going to get any rest with all that noise in your ears.

Dear God the pain every time he swallows is just immense... and why can't he hear himself growl? He can hear those damned machines but not his own voice?

...

So many wires in his body he might as well be a robot. More stitches than a blanket and the oh-so-disgusting feeling of a catheter. Thankfully those things go into plastic bags because sensitive noses would be destroyed by that foul odor.

...

And for the second time this week, the grim reality dawns on the injured vagrant. Kristine... why... What kind of cruel bastard would kill an innocent woman? The soft feel of her lips, the scent of strawberry in her hair... No... How could someone _kill_ something so beautiful? What kind of sick, sociopathic, MONSTROSITY would even CONCEIVE this?

... Is that Raven? Oh my god, she actually fell asleep with the book in her hand. Crap, if only Gar could "say" something to call her but all that sounds is gurgling. That doesn't exactly help the pain either, neither does the grunt of pain after that. The Baptist has a royal ass-kicking waiting for him when this is all done, even if Gar won't be able to read him the last rites. At least his arm's are still strong enough to grab a box of tissues next to the bed. All it takes is a toss her way, smacking the wall to jar her awake.

"Gar? Azar, you're awake."

Obviously but maybe that's a bit cruel.. She _was_ there when they found him in the street.

"Look, don't try and talk. At the moment you still can't so use my notebook, ok?" Moving next to him, she gives him the pen and 5-subject notebook. "Robin brought it for me, I needed something to do while you were sleeping."

Did she _actually_ stay to watch over him... or did Robin _assign_ her? =Want to or ordered to?=

Her expression goes a bit sour in.. concern? "At first he wanted me to stay to make sure you didn't take a turn for the worst..."

Be polite, damn it. A smile from him should help her through this a little better. Poor woman was put through hell with all of this; the last thing she deserves is bitchiness. =Sorry for worrying you. Hope I wasn't too much trouble.=

Brightening up just a tiny bit, she offers "You had your moments. The other day you gave us all a scare when you got out of your bed."

... when did that happen? =?=

Rolling a chair over to sit next to him, she explains. "You leapt out of your bed while the doctor and me were discussing your X-Rays. Your eyes were glowing and you were trying to roar but you couldn't."

=Huh, that's never happened before.=

The incredible look on her face only remains for a moment before it begins to sink into a more worried expression.

=What's the matter? You're not normally this lined-out word.. nice to me?=

She's blinking a bit more... no way, not Raven.. she's _not_ doing that... Wow... she just let a tear out...

"I.. We almost lost you. Gar, you were lying face-first on that street a bloody mess. You _died_ for three minutes in surgery.. You probably won't be able to talk on your own... And I have bad news from the Mayor's office."

That doesn't sound good at all. Not just the mayor's part but the no-talking bit. This could be a bit harder than he's letting on.. either that or shock's still in effect. =I'm fired, aren't I?=

"From being a solo-vigilante... and a Titan."

Yup, this won't be good at all... It's one thing to lose your personal pride but to lose your _professional_ pride in the same stroke... Gotta condense this, take it all in and sort it out. Make it easier to handle.. this isn't the time for an eruption...

"And we heard about the murder outside of the house we found you at. The woman was torn apart.. the police never saw..."

Two tears, three... four.. here they come...

"Garfield?"

With the paper starting to dampen from tears, droplets he cannot cry over lest he rupture his injury, he spells it out for her on the page. =You did it with Robin once. Look through my memories, you'll understand.=

With the both of them starting to crack, it only takes a touch of his hand for two minds to see what one has endured..

...

Memories of drunken nights, fist-fights, gunshots, explosions, gunpowder, sweat, gasps of ecstasy, good cooking, rainy days, dusty couches, innocence lost, confidence gained... it all swarms together in one convoluted mash of emotion, experience, intoxication, love, and grief... Mangled corpse, dead pink eyes, death of a fetus... A dance of skeletons in a hallucinated graveyard...

...

and yet through it all, the smile of Kristine remains his most prominent memory of the past ten months. Not the cold, miserable nights in Q's apartment nor the dingy homes in North Jump and Jump City. Not the villains, the violence, the deaths... her smile.

...

Removing her hand, she collects herself a moment from the psychic shock of seeing all of the images so vividly. Unlike Robin who suppressed his thoughts, Gar didn't appear to hold anything back.

"I'm sorry..."

Certainly taken back, those words don't come from her mouth often, Gar scrambled at the book for the right reply. =Why?=

"We didn't know about.. that woman. Last week at the Tower, we thought it was someone you were afraid of mentioning... We never knew you were in _love_."

=I didn't want to put her at risk... Some good that did, huh?=

"So you really _did_, didn't you? You loved her?"

A sigh, painful at that.. =Don't take this the wrong way.. but didn't you love that dragon? Seems every time we find happiness, it's taken away from us.=

No more time for discussion; the doctors are alerted of his regaining consciousness. Now the fun part really begins: Convincing Gar to use a voicebox.

* * *

Early one morning, Gar finds himself with the privilege of a rare visit from a friend. Suit still looking as thrift-store as possible, Jake Dewalt enters with the grin only a friend could sport. "Tell me you've seen better days?"

A middle finger aimed at the P.I., Gar has to point at his throat to remind him he cannot talk.

"Sorry about that, buddy. Still, I warned you about what happens when you fuck around when them boys. I'm not one to say "I told you so" but since you're still alive, I'll try it on just this once."

One finger just isn't enough, a second one raises up to voice his hate in stereo.

More serious now, Jake asks "So who did this to you? He had to be a maniac if he put you in the hospital like this."

=The Baptist=

Hissing at the thought, and the pain, Jake nods a bit "Yup, that'll do it. He's a genuine madman if I ever heard of one. Spends three or four nights in Vegas throwing craps and playing poker.. then flies off wherever "the Lord needs him", decapitates a motherfucker, then goes RIGHT back to the MGM Grand."

Glaring, Gar writes simply =Pious, ain't he?=

"Deadly's more like it. Shit, you're lucky you got out of that with just your voice gone. I hear sometimes, if you're a real sick fuck, he'll cut your dick off with one of those cards."

That's a pain Gar would rather not imagine. =He'd have to bring a bigger blade.=

A finger thrown at Gar this time, Jake laughs off the attempt "Hey, you ain't getting any sympathy from me just because your ass's sticking out of the back of your scrubs. I only came down here to make sure you're prepared."

=For?=

Leaning in, Jake whispers in a hushed voice. "I hear the Desades aren't done with you. They're not entirely happy Baptist let you live, the whole Sunday thing and all. If I were you I'd relocate, ASAP. Sorry I have to drop the news like this on you but our mutual friend in the JCPD told me I shouldn't be seen with you for a good, long while. She's pissed enough at you as is, don't get my ass in trouble neither."

=I'll keep that in mind.=

"Hey, before I go..." Serious time, this isn't an easy topic for both of them. "I heard they did some twisted shit to Kris. Look, I'm sorry to hear about what's going on. She was a good girl, my baby's been crying since she heard the news... You two could've been a real item, you know?"

Giving a half-hearted thumbs up, Gar nods in appreciation. =Tell your girlfriend I'm sorry too. If it weren't for me...=

"Hey, stow that shit real quick. It's not your fault, it's those fuckers that wanted you dead. So make sure you get your ass out of the city, get healed up, then you come back here and shove your shotgun up their asses and blow them to the moon. These fuckers crossed the line and I can't wait to see you hang them over City Hall."

Smile, that fire-eyed one so many criminals have seen since his return, returns to warm up Gar's face. =Definitely=

* * *

Over the next few days, Gar finds himself bored to tears. Raven, having been recalled to the Tower, was kind enough to leave him the notebook. She wasn't, however, kind enough to leave the first few pages she wrote on. Either way it looked like Gar had an entire notebook to himself and nothing but hours and hours to waste on it. At her insistence to kill the time, she proposed keeping a journal as she'd seen quite a few interesting memories in his head since his departure. Looking at the paper, it only figures that if you're going to write a journal, why not start from the beginning? The pen placed on the top of the page, the vagrant vigilante begins his prologue of what's sure to be an interesting psychological read.  
...

_"There's no way to tell when it really all began. When the Brotherhood came crashing down in Paris, we knew it was the end of an era for the Titans. By now, we'd all aged above eighteen so we decided to drop the "Teen" aspect of our name. Maybe that was fitting because we were moving into adult territory, League-level threats that would go beyond Jump City. But, not just yet, not in 2007 as we decided. Jump City still needed us and perhaps we needed it too. But, like any unhealthy "need", there comes a time when that very need comes back to hurt you..."_

* * *

Late one night, while the rest of the patients in the ward sleep, the minimum of staff on hand, Gar finds himself staring at the ceiling. Awake is boring, writing is boring.. sleep is filled with nightmares and memories are filled with sorrow... Nothing but depression all around... From the smell of ultra-clean antiseptic, a huge cry away from his dirty clinic in North Jump, to the pale walls with no emotion what-so-ever. No wonder people hate hospitals so damn much, it's void of humanity with the smell of antiseptic death!

...

The door opens slightly, quietly.. Maybe Raven's returned from the Tower? It's been a few days since...

That's not Raven though, the smell of sand spells that much out for him. The stink of cleanliness might be strong but the smell of dirt is all-too-pleasing. If only he could ask who it is..

"Garfield Logan?" That smooth, sultry voice.. Dripping with a foreign flair that might rob the hearts of many a man... In his case, she's probably here for his heart, literally. Trying to make out the person against the darkness, he beckons her to come closer. Might as well see who's here to kill you before you smash their face with a bedpan.

Full lips and a head full of dark, straight hair.. she gazes at him with one eye hidden by her locks. With a slight smile, she offers "I hope you're not in too much pain? It wouldn't help if we couldn't move you."

Raised eyebrow, Gar tilts his head and furrows his cheek as in _"what?" Rolling his hand, he gestures towards her with a "who are you?"_

"I'm guessing you're asking my name? For the meantime, you can call me Talia."

* * *

A/N2: Haha! I never thought I'd get to use an "al-Ghul" in this series but back around April/May, I had a great idea how to include the daughter of "the Head". It's pretty obvious what she plans to do but just how, where, and to what end isn't obvious, is it? Still, a LOT went down in this chapter besides the end. Gar's evolving power is highlighted (I did an artist rendering on my deviantart page a couple years ago), Raven seems to be opening up a bit more ;) ... Robin (and the Mayor) evicting Gar, Jake's warning to get out.. Not to mention I finally get to show you why Gar's narration was always in past tense (he wrote it in the hospital.. which means no more past-tense... or does it?)

Trivia:  
- "Wake Up, Dead Man" (in case I forgot it in the last chapter) is the main chorus from U2's song of the same title. Very solemn, haunting song for an Irish rock band.

Rhetorical:  
You're probably expecting "Talia and her men" against "the Desades"... actually, you're not prepared for who they have to fight to return Gar to normal.


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: The conclusion to the "Wake Up, Dead Man..." arc. This might be a little out of place next to the past 2 chapters (but wait a minute, all three were in different places in mind, body, and soul). It's not too hard to guess the Lazarus Pit is being used but consider the effects of it... not to mention, from here on out, a major aspect of Gar's persona has changed (and not for the best I'll tell you). The chapter takes some liberties (because I'm not too familiar with Talia) but I'm working on the notion that she's working for her father's goal, a little motivation there. Needed a LOT of Pantera for the last half of this chapter. Here you go, the conclusion.

**Wake Up, Dead Man...**

* * *

Under the cover of night, Garfield Logan finds himself escaping the city's largest hospital with a woman whom he hasn't met in his life. To make it stranger is how easily she manages to sneak him out, a fact attributed to the men working under her orders. Beneath a stretcher, covered by a sheet, Talia and another assistant (in scrubs) push Gar out of the ward and into the elevator. Inside, they're joined by another man from a few floors down. Perhaps to his joy, Gar discovers that the man is carrying a bag with a familiar trench coat inside of it. With luck he'll still have all his weapons to his use.

Through the lobby, a bit crowded even in the late night, they proceed towards the garage elevators with no apparent alarm at Gar's disappearance.,,' In fact, the first time the alarm is raised, Talia and her men have converged on the basement floor, the stretcher thus abandoned and Gar funneled into the back of a black van. As the police cars come flooding in, the van makes it's way out.

* * *

The ride to his unknown destination is filled with a combination of worry and anticipation. Not that the four Middle-Eastern men in the van glaring at him isn't a concern for worry but it's his lack of transforming ability that has him most disturbed. Even with his coat around his shoulders, the knives still in their place, he's in no condition for a fight right now and they probably know that.

"I'm surprised you survived your fight with the Baptist." That smooth, charming voice could disarm a man if he wasn't careful.

_"For three minutes, I didn't"._ Gar's definitely being careful, that's for sure.

Taking a seat beside the green vagrant, the other henchmen keeping their eyes trained on him in case he does something stupid, Talia brushes her hair out of her face. "You must be _really_ good if you lived through it. You're not a normal metahuman, are you?"

Glancing back, eyes meeting her own with a stare of boredom, he points to his throat. If she's gonna keep asking questions, she should learn she's not gonna get any spoken answers.

"Don't worry about that. We have a way of fixing it without drilling into your airway." The zippo snapping open, the flame sputters from time to time as the vigilante listens to the woman continue. "You refused surgery to install a speech device... I must say you're even stubborn or a fool."

What he'd do to be able to tell her a thing or two. All he can gesture with is simple body language. Pointing to each of the crew, himself, and her... rushing his hands about, then pointing outside with a shrug.. it seems he wants to know..

"Where we're going, yes?"

The lighter snapping shut, Gar nods and slides it back into his pocket... There will be time later for venting his rage.

A foreboding smile on her face, she warns "A place where we're going to run into opposition. You see what we need to fix you is something that's been stolen from us. If we can't get to it, we can't heal your wounds."

A shrugging nod, _I get it_, Gar spins his hand to hurry it up.

"Patience, you'll see when we get there. In the meantime, I hope you can handle a ride on a boat. It's too dangerous taking a helicopter where we're going."

* * *

The stars look so beautiful at night when you're away from the city. Not a cloud in the sky, no other souls but them on the craft heading west. Six strangers look forward, only one looks up at the sky... How many other planets out there have life just like this? As twisted and strange, bizarre and obscene as this planet Earth, how many more could there be just in his vision alone? The few trips through space he'd been on with the Titans showed only a snippet of the whole galaxy... Could there be a world up there with no sorrow or pain?

...

By now the others must be in a frenzy. Who knows how well the security cameras were covered up but these people look legitimate. The Titans might put the blame on the gangs that injured him in the first place... Or maybe the mayor would simply announce that Gar "vanished without a trace" to escape the heat. As for the gangs, would they continue to hunt for him? Maybe a rival group kidnapped him and gave him a cement shoe fitting on the Pacific late one night. Then again, maybe these people in the boat with him aren't here to save his ass and only that.

... Would she look for him? Strange thoughts about his.. now officially "ex-partner" on the Titans. Neither Cyborg, Starfire, or even Robin came to visit him during his stay (probably the Boy Wonder keeping a P.R. clamp to isolate themselves from "gang-related matters"). While Robin would probably spin the news away from his current roster, she might actually give a damn.

... Had he gone too far with all of this like Robin and the mayor said? Was it the attack on the garage that got them spooked or the fight with Baptist? Maybe so but it wouldn't explain how worried they seemed about civilian causalities. Jinx was, technically, an indirect victim and Kristine's death had yet to be solved... By being "Watchman", was he putting other people in jeopardy, people he didn't even know about? Robin can play three steps ahead of the game but why the extreme measures? Why pressure the mayor to evict him from the team _publicly_? That was never his style, even for a situation like this. So many questions, so little time, and so many words impossible to speak...

... No way to play with the lighter tonight, the wind from the surf and wind is too great. He has to make due with twirling a small four-inch knife between his fingers. To hell with the passengers think, he's not going to fight with a pie knife.. unless he's provoked.

"Mistress, we're approaching our destination."

"Good. Come in from the West, we don't want to attract attention." Looking back at Gar from her seat, she informs the mute. "Welcome to the Farallon Islands. I bet no one in your entire city even realizes they exist even though we're only twenty miles from the mainland. For years the government has claimed these islands were a nuclear waste dump as well as an animal refuge." Noticing the look of confusion from that last statement, she clarifies. "What they don't report on the internet or to the public is that it's actually a research base for black op groups within the government. Have you ever heard of a group called Cadmus?"

A shake of the head although the name _might_ be familiar.

"Don't worry about it then, the least you know the better. They set up a base here for a long time to study the natural... elements produced from within the Earth. It's one of the few places on Earth that produce these elements. It would be a waste to let these greedy dogs use it for their benefit, right?"

What the hell has Garfield Logan gotten himself into this time?

* * *

The landing requires having to wade a few feet onto the dark beach lest the boat get caught on the craggy rocks marking the "beach". If the beach wasn't a pleasant landing, the long walk across open terrain towards the east-side of the island is even less fun. The large hills blot out the light coming from the distant city, shadows against a shadowy sky like icebergs on the sea. Even as a lighthouse spins to guide potential ships, the ambiance of the island doesn't conduct itself to a peaceful getaway.

Whispering, she warns him to keep the noise down. "Be aware that even though there's only a small force on the island, they won't allow us to trespass willingly. They will be shooting to kill. Do whatever is necessary to make it through, understand?"

Yeah, a great thing to tell a mute who's nervous as all hell.. Walking through a dark island, technically on a government base, with six Middle Eastern-looking spies, and no sane way to get this all done without trouble. The Universe really has it out for Garfield Logan tonight, doesn't it?

* * *

The "base" isn't more than a few houses on the surface. Then again, looks can be deceiving as where they're heading seems to take them towards a cave not far from base. Whispering words to each other, the five henchmen stay at the rear to guard the entrance while Talia and Gar precede into the depths. Luckily for the vagrant his enhanced vision allows him to guide them in the dark. So far he doesn't see anything out of the ordinary, no lights or personnel in the distance.

"Do you see anything?"

_"Yeah, I see a ton of bats, Jimmy Hoffa, and a guy in a chainsaw mask.."_ Keep it to himself, nevermind the painful throbbing in his throat BEGGING to be spoken about. A simple shake of the head will have to do even if she can't see him that well.

Their walk comes to a head some distance down the tunnel. Exiting the passage, a vast cave presents itself with a greenish, bubbling pool in the middle. For the first time since Gar's fight with Baptist, the young man feels a very human chill run up his spine.

"Lazarus Pits, an unknown element bubbling from the Earth's crust that allows rejuvenation and healing of injured or dead creatures. Spend a few minutes in there and your wounds will be healed and you'll regain the ability to speak once again."

Shock wearing off quickly, he's past the obvious and now needs to know the coast. Her eyes widening a bit in surprise, Gar takes her hand and uses his pointer finger to spell out the words in her palm "W-H-Y-?"

"Clever way to communicate. You were chosen partly due to your injury. Had you not lost your voice, you might not have been considered for this. My father doesn't approve of your kind's weak methods of dealing with crime but he despises having simple _mortals_ tamper with the pits in this manner." Gar's questioning stare demands further explanation. "Imagine if your government discovered a way to make the Lazarus effect an instrument of war? They could heal their dead soldiers, use them in a never-ending battle that would eventually destroy the Earth. This is not the natural path that the planet is meant for. Therefore we must deny them every chance to use this to create disaster for the entire race."

Nodding at first, the deeper mystery needs clarification. Pointing at himself, Gar begs the question as he spells it out in her hand "A-N-D M-Y P-A-R-T-?"

"In order to save this planet, people must be willing to do what is necessary. Obviously we cannot continue on this dangerous route or soon man will destroy the planet and all humankind. While many, including the Justice League, disapprove of using lethal force, you appear to bend the rules. Your stand on drugs and crime in Jump City is the first honest attempt at dealing with the real cancer of society. Humanity will be saved by removing human filth, not by fighting "masks". And I believe you are a firm believer that nature is more important than greed, correct? These are traits my father believes could make you a vital asset in our goal of cleaning up this Earth, restoring it to the natural state it once enjoyed."

...

Wow... That's a lot to lay on someone who's moments away from being dumped into a vat of.. God knows what! This woman and her father want Gar to become healed so he can launch a bloody war to kill the corruption of humanity so he can save the Earth? Tall order for someone who's only twenty years old...

"Miss Talia!" the voice of one of her guards yells down the shaft. "They've spotted us! We need your help!"

Gritting her teeth, she curses their luck. So close... "Gar, listen to me. The Lazarus Pit can help restore your health but if you stay in there too long, you'll begin to revert to a younger age. Only stay in there until your current wounds are healed and then get out... Don't stay in there for more than ten minutes, understand?"

Just agree with the damn woman, it's not going to help.. Especially not with the sound of automatic gunfire ringing in throughout the tunnel entrance. Two-finger salute, the vagrant turns towards the pit... Just like a hot tub, just like a hot tub..

Eyes bristling, his hands and legs trembling, the moment of truth is filled with hesitation... What will happen when he dives in? Will his body be ripped apart or will it feel like one of his transformations?... Why is he hesitating? If the world's depending on him, WHAT IS HE AFRAID OF? Eyes closing tight, looking away, the green vagrant falls into the pit with arms spread outward.. Ten minutes before chicken's done.

...Little does he realize that, in the rush to get back to her men, Talia has forgotten about the most dangerous effect from the Lazarus Pit... One that an emotionally unstable Garfield Logan might not be ready for.

* * *

Normally for trained assassins working under the mastermind Ra's al-Ghul, guns wouldn't be the first choice for self-defense. However, when working covertly against armed soldiers, deception through their choice of weapons might be better than giving themselves away by using swords and throwing stars. And it's no wonder they called Talia back; the base was hiding most of it's troops it would appear. Instead of the usual twenty-man security team they'd been warned about, it appears that number is underestimated by a large margin. Instead of a score of men, fifty now fire their weapons towards the front of the cave with full intent to murdering each one of them.

"We just need to hold out for another few minutes. It won't take long for the pit to heal his wounds. When he comes to the surface, we'll make a run for the boat!"

...

Things really aren't going too well.. Even as they try to avoid incoming M4 Carbine shots, a jeep with a mounted .50calibur MG starts to rake the walls around their position. Dead to rights with the enemy closing in... The surprise comes when the shooting halts for a moment.

"This is your last warning. Come out with your hands up and you'll live. You're surrounded, no where to go, so let's make this clean ok?"

A glance at each one of her henchmen confirms that this fight is a fight to the death. Gar will have to make it home without them, the plan's gone horribly wrong. None of the men will give up without a fight, despite their running low on ammunition.

"Alright, you've had your chance. Kill them."

This isn't the most fitting end to such a long life.. Perhaps God will have an appropriate place for her in the next life... The fools have no idea.. Once she dies, the Apocalypse will come about by the hand of the Demon himself..

...

But as the roar bellows outward from the cave, much louder than any dinosaur or air raid they've ever heard, not a person continues to shoot. Even the security details halt their attack at the sound; a roar howling in despair, grief, and more importantly with rage.

"Was that him?" one of her men asks, shaking in his shoes.

No time to answer as bats, swarms by the millions, gorge forth from the depths of the cave. Talia, her men, and the soldiers all swat at the air as they fill the area like a living storm. Screeching, flapping, some of them black but, eerily, most of them are green in color.

"What the fuck is this?" a soldier shouts, firing his gun into the air at the ever-moving horde.

...

Between those in the cave and those closing in, the bats pull down from the sky and start to funnel into a shape. Arms of bats burst outward from the shape, followed by two legs and a head. The soldiers quake with fear as the shape's head forms bright, gleaming green eyes. Radiating like floodlights, no pupils to be seen, the pit of hell in animal form. Face longer than his human shape, almost Crocodile in appearance, it stares ahead as green hair blows behind. Almost to his lower back, it's thick and a sight to behold. As the bats finally converge totally into this form, the form of Garfield Logan stands with a torn, ragged coat, predator's grin, and the eyes of a monster gazing upon all who would dare get in his way.

Guns raised at this new appearance, the soldiers demand his surrender even as Talia's group huddles in the cave, perhaps out of fear of this new side of the Watchman.

"Get down on the ground and put your hands on your head!"

If one looks close enough, they might see a long scar running up his throat that the Lazarus Pit seems to have left behind. Mouth opening, savoring the sight as he licks his teeth, his reply is hoarse, scratchy even. "Dogs."

"What...?" that answer isn't what the Captain was expecting to hear.

Hand raised towards the sky now, the growly voice of the Watchman beckons something sight-unseen. Looking up as well, the soldiers stand horrified as Watchman snaps his hands towards them, mouth wide like an animal snapping down on it's prey's neck.

...

More bats, this time much more than the incredible amount seen prior, descend onto the troops. The entire island's population perhaps, all diving and screeching, making a menace to the boys in green. Kicking into overdrive, Watchman throws himself at the men, grabbing some by the throat with his mouth, ripping their bodies apart and throwing them to the wayside. Blood everywhere, bullets are fired once again... smoke and noise, screeching, roars and shrieks of terror... The mass of green and black tears through men like a shark through meat, killing each with no quarter asked, certainly none given.

Through it all, Talia stands with eyes wide open, a hand to her mouth. _This_ is the monster rumored to dwell in the heart of "Beast Boy" Gar Logan? A "Beast" that manifests through his rage? One that fought the demon Trigon and nearly killed the entire Teen Titans a few years ago? No... this is different.. They said he was _primal_ in those forms, never humanoid.. He didn't kill, he didn't use animals to aid his attack... This is something far worse, something far more dangerous.. Could Ra's al-Ghul have planned to dispense this form of vengeance upon the human race?  
With the screams dying down, literally, Watchman stands finally amidst a pile of broken corpses, bloody bodies that, moments prior, sought his death. Red liquid dripping from his face, the glowing-eyed monster looks to Talia and her men. Breathing hard, it watches for a moment before bringing the swarm of bats down upon them...

...

And as soon as they came, they pass by and fly into the cave, back to their natural home. With the threat passing, six people turn their eyes back to Watchman... to find nothing but a bloody field. The object of their plan having vanished as quickly as he'd dispatched the bats on each of them.

* * *

A/N2: Thus the end comes with a mystery. The same form he's manifested in the hospital returns again (seriously, check my deviantart for a picture of this Gar). It's nothing permanent but it's something that he'll be using in this saga. By the way, for those of you who might enjoy this, the next arc (untilted for now) will be the first arc I've done where Gar will not be featured AND will not ba supporting character. For the next 6-8 chapters, he'll be gone (I'll explain by the end of that arc all your questions about this chapter but let's just say the first Act of "Redux" is over... now comes Act 2).

Trivia:  
- A small reference to "The Near-Apocalypse of 2009" was thrown in there.  
- Gar might be a little Alucard-ish in this form...  
- The Farallon Islands are a real set of islands off San Fran, a former nuclear waste dump and now serves as an animal refuge.

Rhetorical:  
And to think these 3 chapters were over four months in planning. No Gar in the next 6-8 chaps, huh? Hmm.. that'll _brighten_ up my day.


	37. A Bad Moon on the Rise

A/N: Well I'm back! This arc needed a couple revisions in my head (mainly plot-line) but here we go. One full arc NOT involving Gar (for good reason). This chapter took a small life of it's own, mainly through writing the (technically) main character ot this piece. I'm starting to wonder just how profound an effect Gar's had on people, both good and bad. Sure on a superficial level he's always made an impact but in the context of the past 10 months, he may have influenced more people than he's realizes. Oh, by the way, not to spoil the surprise in this chapter, but to my long-time readers (a.k.a. Watchman drafts 1 and 2), you'll be happy to see some old faces back in the Bay Area. Enjoy!****

A Bad Moon on the Rise...

* * *

November 30, 2007.

The cell block seems so much colder than the comfortable breeze outside. Gray floors, steel bars, barely any sunshine worth mentioning to raise the spirits of California's most notorious criminals. Not that these people _deserve_ to have their hopes raised but even from the darkness, the light can still shine...

A guard stands before an inmate, his gun never too far from his left hand while he clasps a collection of keys in his right. "Arthur Light."

Without his power suit, Light looks nowhere near the threatening "villain" he might've boasted about. It seems five months in prison had other effects as well. The gleam in his eye, one of determination and intelligence, seems long gone, his demeanor one of gloom and boredom. "Yeah?"

Inserting the key, the guard begins unlocking the steel door. "You're being released as of this moment."

That's a shocker.. Narrow eyebrows skyward, the doctor of illumination rises to his feet in surprise. "_Released_?"

Door opened, the guard gestures towards the end of the block. "The D.A. called in, said they had a clerical "hiccup" with your case."

Stepping up to the guard, Light dares to ask "They're letting me go on a _technicality_?"

Gruff expression on the officer's face, this isn't how justice is meant to be served, he regretfully admits "Apparently. You got some luck for a felon."

Months ago Light might've sneered, even laughed at the man's anger at seeing a "criminal" go... But all he can muster is "I'll have to turn this luck into an opportunity then."

* * *

The last gate to freedom opens, the smell of the ocean growing stronger by the second. Five months of dusty, stale air giving way to a multitude of salt, surf, and... life! No more "lights out", no more "contraband checks", and certainly no more fools "dropping the soap". If Watchman could reinvent himself in six months, why shouldn't he be able to? Besides, the air smells so much better outside, it's hard to imagine being without it for so long. With only the clothes on his back to his name, the former villain looks out to the future with arms wide open.

...

Then again, the man in the blue and white suit catches his attention. Leaning on the side of a black Mercedes, the sly smirk on his face raises warning flags in Light's mind.

"What are you smirking at?" the evil genius warns, a glare leveled as well for good measure.

"And a g'day to you too, mate."

Australian accent? That's different given the "swagger" these Jump City types speak with. "Do I know you?"

"C'mon now, I know a couple months in the pen hasn't made you slipp'ry." Offering a hand, the man introduces himself. "The name's Boomerang, Captain Boomerang."

Eyebrow raising a bit higher than a glare, Light suggests "A little far away from Central, wouldn't you say?"

Frowning, put off by the lack of a return to his handshake, the ace criminal offers "And you're a long shot away from the top of the heap yourself. Listen, I didn't come here to argue, I came here because we thought you _might_ be interested in a job."

"Sorry but I've had my fill of crime as of late. I just got out from a technicality and the last thing I want to do is ruin this chance."

A snap of the fingers, Boomer informs the good doctor. "You mean that little number I pulled on the D.A.'s database? Such amateurs, you Jump types, never saving the important stuff on paper..."

Now that's a surprise indeed, more than the sight of seeing one of Flash's rogues this far West. "So _you're_ the reason? Awfully generous but why would you go and do that?"

"Three can be a triple decker, mate, but four of a kind can be down right lethal."

"Four? Who else is involved?" Not the world's best sales pitch but if it gets him out of serving time...

"It'll be better if you make your introduction in person, make them feel like you're a member of the team." Gesturing towards the car, Boomer calls Light to get into the vehicle. "Trust me, you'll have a blast."

Looking towards the car, and the potential to do something that's certainly not law-abiding... or walk away to an unknown future of civilian-hood.

"... Yeah, maybe it'll brighten my day."

* * *

"So, why'd you end up in the pen? No one ever filled me in on the details."

The car rides so smooth, you'd never even know Boomerang came inches from cutting off a tractor trailer. Light, however, hasn't missed this fact in the slightest. "Long story short, got involved with Scarecrow during one of his runs through the city. Got hopped up on his Never Fear gas and decided to destroy City Hall and the Teen Titans all at once... The building was destroyed but I never got killed by two of those Titans."

"Funny, I heard the Titans don't kill people."

"They don't but one of them was only helping them defeat me. He's a bigger threat right now than they are."

School buses shouldn't be taking the left lane up, it's a speeding lane! "Ah, the rogue Titan? What was that bloke's name... Beast or something..."

"That used to be his name but now he goes by _Watchman_." Light's eyes might be looking forward but the image of Raven advancing on him, white psychic power breaking down his xenothium-powered attack... the roof tearing up, unable to move...

"Watchman?" more intrigued than aloof by that name. "Awfully brash name for a minor, huh?"

"He's more interested in taking down organized crime than masks, he shouldn't be a problem."

A pause for a moment before the master inventor asks, startled a bit. "Wait... is he the one that went missing last month?"

"What?"

"Yeah, I remember that story. They said "an ex-Titan" was taken to the hospital because of a fight with the Baptist. Real tore up, he was.. He was there almost two weeks before he disappeared one night. No one's seen or heard from him since."

This is an interesting development for Light, news was a little hard to come by in his cell. Looking across the Bay Bridge towards the city, he contemplates this fact in his mind. Maybe the gangs got to him afterall? Even Watchman said that only God was unstoppable... Such a shame, he was starting to show potential... "Killed or not, he hasn't been seen since, right? That'll make whatever you people are planning easier, right?"

"Now you're catching on. Starting to wonder when you'd sound like your old self. Hell, they told me you were a bumbling, drug-ridden nutjob."

Eyes narrowing, that horrible legacy still on people's minds. "I'm not the man I used to be. Those five months will prove that."

* * *

With the Titans down to five for the first time in over a year, the team's daily training exercises have taken a harder edge than the previous 6-person format. Not that seven years of practice hasn't made their styles into artforms but, like the Boy Wonder (and perhaps Batman) would suggest, "there's always room for improvements".

Then again, just because it's "mandatory" training, doesn't mean they need to stay together afterwards. While the other four split off towards the living room, Raven backs away towards her room. Back to the gloomy abyss, the sun only peering in through dark curtains. Books neat and organized, the bed pristine, just as comfortable as a person's bedroom should be... So why the hell does this feeling persist? The curtain's just begging to let the sun in, the window open to let in the smell of the sea, and perhaps maybe it'll bring some _life_ into this damn place!

Floating over to the bed, the source of her internal conflict rests on top of the sheets, staring back at her. The worn cover, marked with scratches and the word "JOURNAL" in writing clearly not of her own. Just as it rests on her own bed, so did it lie on his in the same fashion when she arrived on scene. He had vanished, the security cameras disabled, and the police arriving too late to stop his abduction. And now, a full month after his disappearance, there's still no clues as to who might've gotten to him. The gangs haven't stepped forth to claim their kill, the police didn't arrest him, and he hasn't called...

Levitating over the bed, cross-legged, she opens to a page half-way through and starts reading again as though reading one of her dozens of normal books. She made sure Robin didn't get a chance to read the pages; each page was an entry into Gar's mind. Knowing Robin, he'd twist the words into potential clues for investigations, the names for suspects... and totally miss the heart of each paragraph. It's not unexpected that stress of leadership can make a person harden.. but a blow to one's pride at having lost two teammates as well as "the reputation" of his team might've pushed his friendship with Gar off the cliff.

_"Who would've thought one person could... change so much in the space of ten months? When he left, he was the wise-cracking, goofy, caring person he'd been probably all his life. In almost a year though he'd been put through hell, living a life of vagrancy and vigilantism, and all to do what we do but without asking for the benefits. Maybe he had this side in him all along? He never went into detail about his early life so it's possible he was stronger than we thought he'd be...?"_

Startled, the sound of a knock brings her mind back from the pages and to the person at her door.

"Yes?"

_"Raven, it is me. Are you not feeling well?"_

A sigh on her lips, the alien princess must be bored... Robin must be working overtime today. "I'm feeling fine, Starfire. You can open the door you know."

Promptly the door does open, closing behind her. Shy, even after this long knowing each other, she apologizes "I know you do not like people coming to your room."

"Well you're already in here so," closing the book, putting it under the pillow, she continues "what's on your mind?"

Rubbing her arm, the princess floats as Raven would, Indian-style but seeming more nervous than anything. "I am becoming worried about Robin. He seems to be.. distant the last few weeks."

"He probably has a lot on him mind, Starfire. It's been a hectic two months for him." Not to mention "burying" two of his former teammates doesn't help.

"Perhaps you are right... But it's more than just stress I feel. When I ask him about Be.. Garfield, he seems to grow cold at his name. It is as though he does not consider him to be our friend."

"How so?"

An inward shiver on her part, perhaps a memory unspoken? "He believes that Garfield chose to leave without telling us where he was going. He even went as far as to say he believes he is hiding from the police because of that woman's death in North Jump City."

The pages still fresh in her mind, the woman named Kristine's death wasn't full of details but if only he knew her connection to Garfield. "Star, no one knows what happened to him. Robin doesn't, the police don't, even I don't know. I'd use my magic but if he wanted to be found, he wouldn't be hiding this long."

"Do you believe he is still alive then?"

Star's hopeful expression seems a contrast to Raven's grim realism... Still, it won't do the team any good for their one ray of sunshine to be overcast. "I bet he's alive out there, probably living in an old factory somewhere. He'll be back Star."

"I hope he returns soon. Perhaps he can make things better around here again. The Tower has become very serious since he left..."

Ain't that the truth. "I know what you mean, Star." Well, if Robin isn't going to entertain his girlfriend... perhaps one time for her friend won't be too far out of her comfort zone. "Tell you what, how about you get Argent and the three of us will go out to the mall?"

That changed the mood in a heartbeat. "Oh you mean it?"

The grin sliding onto Raven's face, however small, is just what the mood needed. "Don't get too excited Star, you'll fall out of mid-air there. And yes, I do mean it."

* * *

Mercedes pulling into the open doors of a Jump City Docks warehouse, Boomer turns off the engine and exits the vehicle. Light inspects the warehouse as he vacates the car, noticing the dusty windows cast a shadow on most of the building. It seems these people aren't willing to shill the money for decent lighting; hopefully they're not skimping to the point of robbing purses and parking meters.

"Follow me."

Across the open space, through the receiver's office, and finally into the front office, the pair reach their destination. Computers are set up, wireless radio detectors and televisions... Looks like a sophisticated hub for basing a small-time HQ.

"Well, I'm impressed. Did these fall off a truck somewhere?" Light remarks with a hint of sarcasm.

"No..." the smooth, foreign drawl of a woman's voice beckons to their side.

Two pairs of eyes look up to the sight of a man wearing a white fire-proof suit in the shape of a firefly... and to Light's amazement, a woman with dark hair and piercing eyes stands with her hand on her hip. Not the world's greatest looking woman but it's one thing this woman doesn't give a damn about.

"Hey I know you." Light remarks, pointing and trying to get his mind to spit out a name. "You worked with the Brotherhood, didn't you?"

The name tastes like acid to her, best not to say it and further the sting. "Formerly but now I've moved on to better things. As you might've heard, my name is Madame Rouge.. You've already met Captain Boomerang.. and the man to my right, you can refer to him by him as Firefly."

The fire-toting mercenary doesn't offer a hello or anything, only turning to Rogue and asking sharply "Think it's safe bringing him into this? He's been in prison since the end of June."

"He'll do his part to the best of his ability just as you better do your's. We're not here to get into a pissing match, we're here to make some money."

"And how do you propose to do that?" Light asks, bitter at Firefly's lack of respect towards him with the prison remark. "You have some tech here but you'll need more than that in this city."

A derisive laugh from the other three only agitates the doctor further. Rouge speaks up for the men by retorting "This city is nothing compared to Gotham or Central. It's been shielded by the League for so long that it doesn't know what a _true_ criminal threat even looks like. That's why it's the right place to set up operations."

"And we don't just have technology, chap." Boomer chimes in. "Unlike the kids who run amok in this town, we happen to have years of experience under our collective belts. Between Firefly's hot-head, our brilliant minds, and Rouge's expertise, we'll be running this town by Christmas."

An honest point, even for Light to admit. A pyro, an inventor, a shapeshifter, and a physicist might be a stretch but it could do some damage in a city like this...

... But where does it all lead to? Is it worth going back to robbing banks like the JCRB? No, there _has_ to be a greater meaning to all this or it'd be a waste to even stay out of jail... Good thing inspiration comes in the weirdest of places... or people.

"You say you want to make some serious money, right?" Light asks, judging their collective reactions. "I don't mind making money myself and I don't mean a nine-to-five either. But I can tell you the only money in this city worth gaining doesn't hold itself in a civilian bank."

Rouge's dark grin grows slightly by this statement, seeing between the lines. "Then where do you propose we get it from?"

If the Watchman couldn't defeat the gangs with firepower, maybe Light can kill those drug and gun peddlers with economics...

* * *

A/N2: There you go! The Fatal Four are back once again (Slade isn't in this version for reasons which will be shown later). Madame Rouge, Firefly, Captain Boomerang, and (a somewhat reluctant) Doctor Light. I think Gar's revelation that a person can change affected Light, especially after the incident with Scarecrow and (earlier) with White Rabbit. A man can "choose" his path, not always the destiny, but never-the-less his path. So instead of taking up a small path (robbing simple banks and department stores), Light's about to take revenge on the people that made him the "Junkie" he was rather than go after the people that "made him go crazy"... for now.  
Robin seems to be growing colder as of late...

Trivia:  
- Arc name a reference to "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The lyrics are perfect for that feeling of dread before a night out.

Rhetorical:  
... Raven seemed to hide that journal faster than I would've thought normal...


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: Long delay, I know, but this chapter took two rewrites and a look at the plot. Doing a non-Gar story means having to develop a deep plot for the secondary characters and that's a bit harder than it sounds.. The Watchman series has at least ten different stories other than Gar's that can be explored, I'm trying to show you a few of them. "This doesn't connect to the first chapter of this arc", this arc has a plot to it but it's not as linear as my other arcs.. As this is arc serves more as a zeitgeist in Jump City, it has the opportunity to see through their eyes rather than Gar's lense.

**A Bad Moon on the Rise...**

* * *

December 4, 2007.

_"Hellraiser, and I'll make it come true..."_ A little Motorhead to ease the tension as the black Monte Carlo passes through traffic on the Bay Bridge. Hard to tell that the driver's eyes are glaring holes at each slow car he leaves behind but the iron grip on the wheel could offer a hint._  
"Hellraiser, I'll put a spell on you!"  
..._  
Five weeks without a phone call, an e-mail, or even a goddamn letter from Gar. Five weeks of incredible tension, anticipation, as well as the fear of the unknown. If those gangs were willing to go after Gar's friends, both on the Titans and in his love life, would they come after his more active allies too? Would they kick in his door and gun down his girlfriend and him while they slept? They nearly killed Gar on that North Jump street the first time, maybe they dragged him away this time to finish the job?

"Gotta stop thinking like this. If they were gonna come, they would've done it already." Adjusting the mirror as he comes into the toll terminal, his reflection comes into view. Assuring himself, he concludes "Damn you Gar, I'm already paranoid as it is. If you're still alive, you get your ass back here so I can put my foot right back up it."

* * *

There's just one stop he needs to make before moving on to the client, one he'd rather not get involved with right now. Then again, the nice-looking apartment overlooking scenic Lombard Street and it's windy curves seems more inviting than his dreary North Jump hovel. Checking the coast, looking for anyone who might be sitting watch, he departs with caution. A quick adjustment to his suit's collar before walking up to the door. Forsaking the doorbell, he pounds on the hardwood three times.

No response at first but this has been expected. A smoke in his fingers, the detective sparks the cig and takes a long drag. The pleasant taste of Virgina tobacco makes the much cleaner Jump City air taste a little bit more like home.

Door swinging open, gun in her hand, Detective Sinclair trains the steel at his face. To his credit, Jake only raises an eyebrow, his attention earlier diverted down the winding street. Cigarette between his lips, he speaks muffled "Bit much, ain't it?"

Pulling back the gun, placing it in her holster under her jacket, the JCPD officer retorts "You should use the doorbell. No one around here knocks."

"I'm not from around here, remember? I like the low-tech way better."

Joining him outside, she pulls the jacket around her a bit closer. That December wind off the Pacific isn't going to make this sunny day a paradise. "How could I forget? You're still driving this beater car after all."

Releasing the smoke, Jake doesn't look happy at the shot at his vehicle. "Ask me that if the shit starts hitting the fan. You'll be glad you're in it rather than behind it."

"Whatever. So why exactly did you call me?"

Opening his door to switch off the locks, he tells her "Get in. I'll explain when we get somewhere clear."

* * *

_"In science news, scientists from NOAA report that they've detected what appears to be a rather loud and usual sound coming from an area south of Hawaii. The sound, a mere three seconds in length, was reported over an area of nearly thirty-five hundred miles. Although skeptical that this sound could be anything other than natural events, other cases such as the famous "Bloop" offer the theory this sound could be something more..."_

Turning the radio off, no chance at catching the good news, Jake continues on his drive towards South Jump City.

"So let me get this straight..." Sinclair begins, noting the area growing poorer by the block. "You were contacted by a woman claiming to be associated with a known mask and you want me to come along and make sure it's legitimate, is that correct?"

"In a nutshell, yeah."

Arm on the door, propping her head up, she muses "Great way to spend a rare day off."

While she can maintain a sarcastic, bored expression, Jake cannot. "I asked you to come along because I needed to ask some serious questions away from people who might be listening in."

"Hmm?" Not leaning anymore, she looks his way. "Like what? That sounds rather serious coming from a guy like you."

"The Watchman, Garfield Logan... Have you heard anything about him since his disappearance?"

"Your friend from North Jump... No, the JCPD hasn't changed it's statement since the event."

Glaring over at her but not too far to drive dangerous, he chides her obvious reply. "Come on, Rebecca. We both know that's full of shit. Gar didn't just "disappear", he's not like that. Either someone got to him first or someone killed him."

"Off the record?"

Seeing it his way finally? "Yeah, off the record."

Glancing down at the seat, she counters "After I turn off the recorder you've hidden under my seat."

Impressive, almost a shock... of course, considering who he's with. "Fine, you got me on that. Go ahead, I was just using it for reference."

"Of course..." The small DVR device turned off, she tells him "I don't know who got to him. The witnesses couldn't give us any definitive leads and the video evidence is useless. Whoever got to Gar extracted him with precision and expertise. I'm not sure if the Desades or the Bulletface Gang are that good at getting to people unless they hired someone to do it for them."

"Maybe the Triads got involved? They seem to be rather quiet during this whole upheaval."

A shake of the head, the redhead rebukes "No, this isn't their form of retaliation. Mao's daughter doesn't toy with her victims like this; we know that for sure."

"He was a metahuman, right? Could've been the Justice League?"

Another good idea, another rejection. "Can't be them either. This is between you and me but the Justice League won't interfere in Jump City without a damn good crisis that the Titans can't deal with. According to the mayor, it's a part of some deal with city hall, the Titans, and the League. This was technically a Titan-related mess so it wouldn't be the League."

Fist gripping the wheel a bit tighter, a look of frustration spreads across the P.I.'s face. "Nice to know those on high are using this city like their own personal kingdom. No wonder Gar got sick of working for the Titans."

"It might be better that way. It seems the deal's been keeping other, more violent criminals away from the city. If someone like the Joker came to town..."

"Got it."

"Good."

Chinatown, a.k.a. "South Jump", doesn't seem quite the crime-riddled area it's being made out to be. Too many tourist cameras during the day to make regular crimes feasible perhaps. Still, there's always money in the organized crime business.

"So, what's the real reason we're here in Chinatown?"

Another street light, another wait. "One of my clients called me, said she was scared."

"You called me to help you play Doctor Phil?"

Eyes narrowing, stepping on the gas, he warns icily "She's worried because of her neighbor. You see he's a mask that's been dipping into some very potent drugs... That and he's been missing for the past three days."

* * *

Inside the small apartment, the sights of the city outside from her window, an elderly woman sits by her two guests with coffee between her hands. Looking down at the black liquid, she shudders with worry. "I know he's not the best person out there. He's done a lot of bad things but never with any true intent to cause real harm. I had hoped when he came back from France, he'd settle down and forget the life he led for so long... I never thought he'd go this far though."

While Sinclair keeps notes, Jake offers in a rather unusually soft voice. "I know you're worried but I need to know just what happened. I can't help you if you don't tell me everything I need to know."

... "He was babbling about something, some white rabbit that I couldn't see. I didn't know at the time it was a drug; I thought he was sleepwalking or something. When I called his name, he just looked past me, mumbling about "making a name for himself" and "doing what no one's ever done before". I would have called 911 but he left before I could stop him. I haven't seen him since then."

"White Rabbit's a commonly sold street drug around the city. Chinatown especially over the last few years. It sounds like he did a dose then came home." Sinclair states, business tone all the way. "Besides this, had he been acting differently at all since he came back from overseas?"

"Not that I could tell. Tom was also kind to me, even when he was out causing all of that trouble. I don't understand what happened to him."

"Don't worry, we'll find him." Placing a hand on her shoulder, Jake's sympathetic offer seems to help the woman back from a potential breakdown.

"You know what's wrong with him, don't you?" She asks Jake suddenly, the fire in his eyes unavoidable. "He's not the first one you've seen like this, is he?"

A sigh, he retracts his hand and rises to his feet. "Sadly it's not. But I understand how the drugs works and the people who make it. I'll bring him back, don't worry about it."

Back in the car, Sinclair's boredom seems replaced with genuine worry. "I never thought the city's supervillains would become addicted to drugs, especially not White Rabbit."

Clicking in his seatbelt, Jake answers "The city's starting to shift back to organized crime, it was only a matter of time. It'll be hard tracking him down."

"It's been three days since he went missing, someone should know by now where he's hiding. But I never thought the Amazing Mumbo would live in apartment in Chinatown..."

* * *

"Look, I know that you have some problems of your own to deal with. I mean, heh, we ALL have problems in this world right? I mean look at you... The police are investigating you for the kidnapping of a Titan while one of your rivals threatens your holdings in North Jump. See, I'm an understanding person, and I _understand_ you have a lot on your plate..." Looking out towards the city he calls home, Arthur Void does NOT look pleased. "But let me tell you what _you_ need to _understand_. Some low-life, drugged-up, piece of shit, twinkle-toed, MASK FREAK has broken into my office! I'm not talking about your average "superhero", I'm talking about the lowest of the low. He has violated the sanctity of MY office and stolen what could very well be the ENTIRE case a grand jury would need. We're talking about assets, business deals, links EVERYTHING in this city... Yeah, I'm very fucking serious Antoine, this is some serious shit... Everything... That folder has papers on our dealings, the Bulletface Gang, the Triads... Do you want your name appearing before the grand jury with connections to the mayor's office then?... What do I want? I want you to send that fucking psychopath hitman of your's to that mask's house and carve his fucking head off. I don't want to hear MY name on the news anymore than you do. KIll that clown-looking motherfucker, burn the folder, and make sure this all remains QUIET... You tell him whatever you want, tell him it's a goddamn crusade for all I care... I know you're busy but unless you want to spend Christmas in the gas chamber, you'll get your ass in motion!"

CLICK!

* * *

"We just drove all the way across town, over the Bay Bridge, and through twenty minutes of road construction just to visit a bar?" If Sinclair's words weren't more irritating to Jake, they soon will be. "It's way too early to start drinking."

The name on the building seems right given the address. "POP'S" Pub, leave your soul at the door. "We're not in here for a drink, we're here to get answers. By the way I hope you have your safety off."

Eyes narrowing on the man before her "Plan to get into trouble?"

Pushing the door open, he warns "Trust me, you'll find out why."

Unlike the normal, smoke-free environment found throughout California, this bar is full of tobacco smoke and loud times. Not to mention filled with various ugly looking, rough individuals with an evil eye for the two newcomers. Even with the sound of "Sympathy for the Devil" on the radio, the darkened windows and black paneling is enough to give her the chills. Make that double when some of Jump's most notorious masked-criminals turn from their barstools to give a look.

"Mumbo Jumbo," Jake announces to the group, catching their full attention. "anyone heard about him?"

One particularly burly man steps up from a table and walks over to the two. "Yeah, I heard about him. But I haven't heard about _you_... Maybe you should get the fuck out of here before you start asking about the wrong people, huh?"

As Sinclair reaches towards her gun, Jake waves her off. "I _should_ but I'm not. Tell me, are you the bouncer of this establishment or just another goon who couldn't make it Downtown?"

"Why you!" Leaning back, the man throws a punch at Jake's direction... only to be judo-flipped over Sinclair's shoulder and onto his back. Hacking in surprise, he looks up at his attacker with surprise etched on his face.

"Look, we didn't come here for a fight. We just want to know if anyone's heard about his whereabouts. Make an old lady happier, for me?"

Of all people, it's Red X that steps up from the masks, a drink in his hand. "That depends on what you're offering. A guy's gotta make a living, right?"

"That he does. So, I'm offering..." a quick snatch into his coat, he startles them all by snapping his hand forward. "... five-thousand for information." Even Sinclair looks on with narrow eyes at the little stunt. They could've been shot, thinking he had a gun! "Five-thousand if it's credible information that leads me to Mumbo."

While some of the other patrons curse him out for nearly turning the place into the OK Corral, Red X offers a small laugh of appreciation. "It's chump change but that stunt was pretty slick."

"The sooner you find him, the sooner you get your pay."

* * *

On the bridge back to Jump, the thickness in the air is near palpable. Jake's stunt might have worked but it was a gamble too large.

"Do you always do business like that? Just scare everyone half to death to get what you want?"

"No, normally I don't need to toy around like that. If anything, I think Gar rubbed off on me a little bit."

A distant look on her face, the city looks so shiny when the sun hits the millions of windows like that. "I don't think you've had a friend like him in a long time... Not since CT..."

"Let's not go back down that road, Rebecca. It's been a long day and..."

A sigh on her lips, she admits "I know it's a hard subject, for both of us, but I'm glad you're finally filling that void. You don't always have to be the lone ranger you know."

Motivational speech anyone? "If you're trying to recruit me..."

"Jake, I'm not trying to tell you what do with you're life, I'm asking you to trust someone in your life. You told me Gar's a good friend but all of your "friends" are just business to you. I'm surprised you even have a girlfriend."

"That was another void I needed to fill..."

And, once again, that uncomfortable silence returns to the car. If anything, the radio should be a help but...

"Do you think he's alive?" Sinclair asks, curious at the notion. She only met Gar a few times but there was something about him... You don't get to be a Titan without having a few special qualities.

"If I know him, he's probably been watching us the entire time. The only difference is the bastard isn't here for me to kick his ass for hiding this long."

* * *

In the dark confines of a one-lit room, John "the Baptist" Reilly stands with his back to a poker table. Nevermind the scattered cards and chips, the two headless corpses resting on the green felt seem more threatening at the moment. A phone in his left hand, bloody cards in his right, the hitman speaks to his employer.

"Another job, hmm? What's the target this time?... A thief, really? Are you sure it's really a job for a hand of God?... After that last little trouble in Jump, I would've thought you'd wait before using me?... No, I'm done with these two here. To be honest, they weren't much fun. Impure, both of them.. they'll make fine additions to Satan's pyres in hell... If he's paying that much, I can be in town tomorrow... If we're lucky, that little green bastard will come  
out of hiding so I can give him a proper decapitation. Very well then, may God go with you..."

* * *

A/N2: Ok, Mumbo's on the run for stealing something important from Void (amazing what drugs will do to a nutcase). Jake's on the case but it seems so is Baptist. Now, looking past the surface, consider something about this you haven't done... Is this story about an "event" or about "emotion".. Is it "happening" or is it "feeling"? Mumbo's not in a good place right now, especially when he sees he's being chased by a religious maniac... Good thing the Titans are about to step in... But if you think this shit's hairy now, wait til the Fatal Four get involved. Organized Crime vs. the Titans vs. Fatal Four vs. (Jake's kind of people)... And this is before Gar returns!

Trivia:  
- Motorhead's "Hellraiser" cover is referenced.  
- Lombard Street is that windy-ass hill in San Fran where you can drive but in crazy zig-zags.  
- Tom, a reference to Mumbo's voice actor... first name was "Tom"  
- First mention of "POP'S" pub from the past two drafts.  
- Jake/Rebecca's backstory still being referenced by an older story of mine.

Rhetorical:  
... a Bloop in the ocean?


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: Hello, hello, HOLA! FYI, I just got moved to a 6-2:30 schedule (5am wakeup, yay...) so, while I get used to the switch, new chaps might be a little delayed (you know me, I could pump one out tomorrow but don't hold your breath yet). This chapter is another mainly-featuring chapter (chap one was the Fatal Four, chapt two was Jake). This one is more Gang related (but with some big plot twists). Hope you enjoy it (and damn it, get reviewing again! I've had three reviews in two chapters and that scares me.)

**A Bad Moon on the Rise...**

* * *

December 11, 2007.

"Well I'm glad to hear that. You were getting too hung up on that guy to begin with." The comment stems from a conversation between the children of Desade. Sitting inside the comfortable confines of a midnight blue Subaru Impreza, they look more like regular adults rather than drug-related criminals.

Rose, however, seems less than thrilled at the confession. "Yeah, I guess I needed to let it go. Shit, do you think someone else really got to him?"

"I don't know sis but maybe we'll find out at the meeting. I just hope it doesn't turn into a bloodbath."

The worried look in his blue eyes is enough to even raise some doubts in her own mind. Looking out towards the city, gray hues coloring the streets from the overcast sky, she wonders aloud herself "I hope not but... things are getting worse aren't they?"

"It could be worse but it's not good either." At the next stop light, Marin asks his sister simply "Do you have a spare firearm just in case?"

Questioning stare for a question she hasn't heard in ages. "A gun? You know I don't carry those things."

"I know you don't _need_ one but it could help if someone gets the jump on you."

A nervous attempt at a laugh to try and shatter the ice. "C'mon Marin, do you think someone's gonna get to _me_ by sneaking up from behind?"

A glance towards his younger sister, his ocean eyes as chilly as the Arctic. The look has the intended result as Rose retracts her statement, offering to get one when they meet up with their father.

* * *

At the appointed place, the gathering of criminals crowd the warehouse with solemn faces. Guards, guns, and sunglasses abound as each side tries to look more intimidating than the other. Of course, if things go sour, all the intimidation in the world becomes meaningless if you're shot dead. While the Bulletface Gang and Chinatown's Triad have arrived, the Desades and, perhaps most importantly, Arthur Void are not yet present. In the meantime, the Triad leader decides to pass the time by holding a discussion with Bulletface's personal bodyguard...

"Daiyu..." the leader speaks, an air of restrained authority not present in his daily speech.

Looking to the older man finally, she offers a simple "Fùqīn..."

Hand raised but a second, he asks "Have I not asked you not to refer to me in such a... formal expression?"

"You have but this is not a family gathering."

Something akin to sorrow passes his face before returning to the neutral expression he held as he walked over. "I understand. So, do you have an idea as to why Mr. Void would call this meeting so openly?"

"We've been hearing that Mumbo Jumbo's been harder to find than expected. Desade's hitman keeps finding nothing but dead ends."

"I was not informed that the Baptist would be involved in this hunt. Surely someone who knows the city would be better for the task?"

Eyes sliding his way, knowing but not saying the obvious, she instead asks "Perhaps but his loyalty appears to have been leaning towards the Desades. If I should be so bold to suggest, this would be a good time to take advantage of the situation."

Hands folding behind his back, the elder criminal remarks "Your insight into the politics of men are becoming as sharp as your blades, little Yanyu."

The flash of anger across her face is quickly squashed, despite the urge to shout. "Never refer to me as that again."

A glance her way before he turns back towards the entrance of the warehouse. "As you wish..."

Lucky for Daiyu that Bulletface picks this time to arrive on scene.

"I hope I'm not interrupting?"

"Not at all, Mr. Bryson. We were discussing times past. Speaking of past times, it appears our partners are late again."

A sigh on his own lips, he finds himself reluctantly agreeing. "For a man who's business is at stake, you'd think he'd be more punctual."

"You were not always so punctual, Mr. Bryson." Mao reminds, keeping a neutral expression. "Perhaps my ways have finally started to... rub off on your's?"

Even with the bad scars stretching across his face, the gun baron offers his version of a grin. "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Mao. I'm not ready to use chopsticks, no matter how many times you try."

To the surprise of both men, Daiyu's cellphone begins to ring. A quick look at the ID forces Daiyu to excuse herself, ignoring both men's expressions.

With the assassin away, Mao's tone turns serious "Daiyu informs me that this Mumbo Jumbo has not yet been located?"

"And she hasn't lied. Desade's insane hitman hasn't been able to find him. This mask is capable of magic as well as deception. He's not going to be found easily."

"Surely a man with your intelligence would know that you cannot send an insane man to capture one like him."

Eyebrow up, the scarred man dares "And I thought the best way to fight fire is with fire?"

Turning to his own henchmen, Mao reminds "Fighting fire with fire will only bring about more embers. To defeat this fire, one as patient as water should be utilized."

"Are you sure you aren't a descendant of Sun Tzu?"

* * *

"I hate this city sometimes... All this fog, that cold wind from the ocean, it's enough to make a man's bones freeze. Not to mention all those losers out there pretending their lives mean something."

Sitting across from Void in the back of a fancy limousine, Xavier sits still as can be. The iron stare matches his equally hard features. Hard to believe that this brute of a man can fit into such a finely-woven suit...

Drink in hand, Void points to the Titans Tower in the distance. "And those kids, I hate them the most. God I hate kids, greedy little parasites. Always begging for money, always whining. Damn, I'm not even forty and I sound like an old man."

"Nervous?" Xavier asks, monotone.

"Nervous? Why the hell would _I_ be nervous? If anything, I should rip each of these goddamn "crimelords" a new asshole for the stress they've put me through this week." Despite his temper getting the best of him, he still hasn't spilled a drip of his three-hundred dollar a bottle liqueur. "Bad enough they're always making demands, asking for more shipments and more clearances... Hell, if it weren't for the fact I got shit on ALL of them, I would've traded them to the Russians and the Slavs by now!"

A hard drink down the pipe, the glass emptying in his hand, Void points at Xavier with his glass in hand. "Listen, I know you're not huge on personality, but if things go to shit here, I expect to see some fucking bloodshed. Last I heard, Desade's lunatic won't be at this sit so you won't have any trouble."

"And the daughter of Desade?"

"When in doubt, get some dirt. She won't be a threat, she's too much like her whore mother." Noticing the glass is finally empty now, he muses at the irony "Like mother, like daughter I suppose."

"And the daughter of Mao?"

"Unless she physically tries to attack you, you will NOT harm her. Unlike the rest of these would-be "criminals", she's the only one who can see the big picture. We could use someone like that once Bulletface gets thrown into the Bay."

"And the Watchman?"

Reaching to his bottle for more drink, Void shakes his head, growing tired of the monotone questions. "He's been a ghost for the past six weeks. He won't be here so don't worry about it. Now, enough with the questions, the last thing I want is an angry buzz before the meeting."

* * *

"What am I doing in this room? How the hell did I get here? And the why the fuck am I still holding on to this stupid folder? It doesn't make any sense... There's no way these documents are _real_, they can't be. It must be a trick, some form of corporate think-tank crap that might be _proposing_ a deal like this... Yeah... just a deal... But that doesn't explain WHY I'M STILL IN THIS SHITHOLE!"

Mumbo, back in his normal human form, sits inside of an abandoned house with his hat and wand nearby. The contents of a black folder remain in his hands, quivering as they are, but his eyes are staring at the wall across the way.

"Maybe the documents are true though? He's been following me for days, I haven't done anything _wrong_ though. That mad look in his eyes, he's crazy! And I know crazy, let me tell you, I'm sitting here, half-twisted on White Rabbit, and babbling to myself like someone's here to listen to me? HEheh, insanity huh? Jesus, I wish that fucking rabbit would come back again, I haven't seen him in months!"

* * *

The hour strikes five in the afternoon and finally the entire assembly of criminals have gathered. Desade, as loud and boisterous as ever, steps into the warehouse with his arms spread outwards.

"Hello everyone, sorry I'm late. You wouldn't believe the shit some dickhead pulled out in Vegas. He decides he's gonna drop his friend off, from his car, right next to the plane!"

"You are late again, Mr. Desade." Mao remarks, standing up from the table. "We have kept waiting long enough."

"Whoa, whoa, calm down Ching Chang. Let's not make this more troublesome.."

"Antoine," Void speaks aloud from the table, catching the older gangster off-guard "shut up and sit the fuck down."

A quick chuckle, the round rims of Desade's glasses hide the true intention in his reply "Didn't see you there, Arty. Well, since you've asked, don't mind if I do." Sitting, his feet on the table, his children and goons to his back, he decides to light up a large cigar. "So, now that we're all right and gathered, how about to start this little troop meeting?"

"Antoine, do yourself a favor." Void warns, eyebrow already starting to twitch.

"What's that?"

"Put your fucking feet down and start telling us just why the fuck we're not looking at that mask's face and a burning folder of paperwork?"

Pausing for a moment, the only response thus far is a raise of an eyebrow and a widening grin. Of course, he relents as the entire room sends glares his way. Putting his feet down, the gruff boss of the drug cartel asks simply as a retort "I'll tell you why if you tell me why you want those documents burned in the first place."

It isn't unnoticed that Bryson, Mao, and Daiyu have their eyes on Void as well. The center of attention decides to capitalize on this opportunity to assert his dominance. "Because the last thing everyone in this room can afford is a collapse of all we've worked for. That document is worth more to the grand jury than half of the inventories of the three major cartels in this room."

"Oh, is that a fact? And just _why_ were you keeping all these incriminating files in ONE folder? It almost sounds like you _wanted_ them to find out."

Xavier takes a step forward, a fact Desade doesn't pass up. "Seems I've offended your two-ton, nickel-brained bodyguard. Sorry caveman, this is a discussion between men."

A hand to stay his guard, Void counters "If you really want to know, I was using it for blackmail." Now that catches the rest of the room's attention. Looking to everyone as their eyes beckon for answers, he tells them "In business, it's always in your best interest to have insurance. That folder was meant to keep everyone from getting rid of the one who's keeping you afloat. There's more egos in this room than a Hollywood after-party."

Turning on a swivel away from the table, Desade folds his hands while slouching back on the chain. A puff of smoke jets from his cigar, tilting his head to one side. "_Really_? Well, see, that's where we might _all_ have a problem. My father, rest his soul, didn't raise an idiot. You see, as I understand it, this presents a little conflict of interest. With that folder gone, there's a strong chance that if the Titans catch Mumbo _before_ the Baptist. Now, when they do, they're going to make sure that evidence gets into the hands of Jump's asshole district attorneys. When they do that, we are out-and-out fucked."

Bulletface doesn't seem to miss that last part, neither does Mao. Looks to their henchmen indicate it's time to potentially make a move. Desade, as late as he was, might've been the pin in this grenade.

"So, as to how I see it, maybe it's best we remove the fucker who fucked us in the first place before the D.A. decides he's in the mood for an orgy."

To their surprise, Void actually laughs at the notion. "Wait, you want to _kill_ me because you think the Titans are going to hand all of us to the police?"

"Seems to make the most sense. You think they're gonna do otherwise?"

Leaning back in his own chair, blissfully ignoring the dozens of threats bearing down on him, Void confidently announces "If your biggest fear right now happens to be those _kids_... then, my friend, you're worried about the wrong damn thing. If you kill me, your money goes down the drain." An evil smile, if there ever was one, crosses his face. "And if the Titans drag us in, _their_ money disappears too."

The collective look of confusion, if not awkward surprise, is a sure treat for the corrupt CEO. Even Mao, the most experienced of the three, seems to be in the dark as to this revelation.

"Like I told you, in business you need insurance. Well, my insurance is that if ANYONE tries to fuck with me, kill me, or even THINKS of arresting me, I bring down everything that keeps this city running." Standing up from his chair, Void is as bold enough to announce "As a matter of fact, you might as well say I _AM_ the city! So if you sorry, rotten, pieces of shit EVER try to threaten me again, I'll personally have EACH AND EVERY ONE of you dragged before the court, publicly raped, then fucking gutted alive in San Quentin. Do you fuckers understand me?"

* * *

While the leaders of Jump City's underworld are meeting, those that would try and bring them down are also converging. The first of many targets, to be sure, happens to be waiting for the picking. And, for the second time in a year, Jump City Regional Bank finds itself in the awkward position of being held up by masks. Not just any masks: Four masks each with dangerous intentions. Light and Firefly move through the crowd, palm projectors and fireguns ready to shoot any would-be heroes. Rouge and Boomerang, already having deactivated security and alarms, works on getting the staff to cart out the appropriate accounts.

With a minimum of wasted time, they manage to secure the specified accounts. Not exactly a huge amount but three million will have to be a good launching pad.

Even as they start to leave, duffel bags in around their bodies, one of the workers calls out in desperation. "You've never robbed us like this. Why did you only take _that_ account?"

Light stops, the rest looking to him with urging eyes. A soft, almost nostalgic expression on the villain's face, he replies "That account happens to belong to the criminals promoting drugs on your streets. While you've complied with their wishes, know that we won't. And to illuminate the truth to you simple people, when the Titans get here, ask yourself if they can still save your city? The Titans can't save us anymore, it's time we saved ourselves."

Outside, as they fill their van with the money, Rouge can't help but ask with a sly grin on her face. "That was quite a surprise from you, doctor."

Closing the van door, he answers simply "It surprised me as well."

"A little preachy if you ask me." Firefly remarks as Light gets in the van.

Opposite from Firefly, Boomerang suggests "Maybe the doc's onto something, you know? These super-powered types always get so high and mighty. Can't blame us if we play the moral card against them. If anything, I'm surprised you're going along with this, lass."

"Getting back at the Titans, stirring up anger amongst the gangs, and getting paid all the while? What kind of girl would pass that up?" That devilish, sly grin on her face, she turns to Light. "Brilliant, I'd say."

"Enough of the compliments. Let's get the hell out of here before we're the smartest assholes in prison." Firefly's comment, although irritable, is still on point. Gang-related accounts or not, theft is still theft.

True enough as the van speeds away and around the corner. The wail of police sirens and the sight of a blue/white car serves as the first witnesses to a crime spree that Jump's citizens, criminal and heroic, just might not be prepared for...

* * *

A/N2: Fatal Four robbing gang banks? Void in control of the gang underworld? Daiyu is Mao's daughter? A lot to absorb in this chapter but more will be revealed (the TItans chapter is probably next). Still, there's a lot to take (Rose getting over Gar, Mumbo finding out about all of this, the Fatal Four using moral warfare..) Don't worry, we'll be seeing the Baptist... hehe...

Trivia:  
- Several chinese words. Mao's name is NOT Fuqin (it's Chinese for Father)  
- Yanyu is chinese female for "Yan Jade" (so the site said), it's more of a real name than an alias.  
- Desade's Vegas story is a reference to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (WATCH IT, IT'S A DAMN GOOD MOVIE!)  
- The JCRB is probably the biggest victim in all my Titan stories, fuck Gar.. he gets paid to fight, the JCRB doesn't.

Rhetorical:  
Black foldiers, black dossier?


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: Ok, the next chapter is up. Got my fourth tattoo yesterday (on a fluke) which you can see on deviantArt, so I couldn't write yesterday. As promised, the "Titans-centered" story of this arc. It also raises the stakes just a little bit (for the Titans, whom I don't believe have been taking this situation too seriously). It seems, right now, Mumbo is the most important person in Jump City, for all the wrong reasons, and perhaps the most dangerous depending on who catches up to him first. Oh, for everyone who's been waiting for a return, you'll be happy at the end of this chapter. Things are about to get intense...  
Wow, 40 chapters and almost (if not) 140,000 words... This story is just starting it's middle section too!

**A Bad Moon on the Rise...**

* * *

December 16, 2007.

While the Christmas season is hitting full-tilt in the Bay Area, not everyone seems so happy. Despite the holiday season's cheerful attitude, the news lately has been more cynical regarding the city's recent crime wave. Three banks in almost a week, all of them mob-related banks, and the Titans having prevented or stopped none of them... It's a fact that doesn't go unnoticed, a fact that Robin laments as he watches the lunch-hour news.

_"When is this city going to realize that maybe the Titans, as good as they've been for the city, aren't good enough to defeat this problem?"_

_"Well I don't think it's fair to condemn them just yet. The city has been doing it's best but..."_

_"That's all we hear is excuses, Mayor, and frankly the people are tired of it. Ever since last year, the so-called "supervillain" or "mask" threat has gone down, crimes by these sorts of people is at it's lowest since the beginning of the decade. But between the growing drug influence and these new masks robbing banks unopposed, the city is growing more scared by the day."_

_"We cannot pin the entire city's woes on the shoulders of the Titans; our city's police force hasn't sat idle during this increase in crime."_

_"Really? How do you figure that? They haven't made ANY headway in bringing down the Desades drug cartel, much less Bulletface's gang either. Drug dealers have been seen from corners in North Jump to even in Golden Gate Park, this is becoming unacceptable."_

_"This city has become comfortable without having to worry about the threats other cities face. We don't have the rampant criminal base that Gotham or Hub City have... This rise in crime is only temporary, we can defeat it, but I stress it would be irresponsible to assume ALL of our problems can be beaten by the Titans. It's up to the city's residents to take a stand on this issue as well..."_

_"While that might be true, the fact is this city's TAXPAYERS are PAYING the Titans to protect us. This isn't 2001 when that mask nearly took over the city. Our greatest threat isn't a loony in a mask: it's corruption. Vice, drugs, and failing leadership."_

The argument rages onward, Robin sitting by the TV in his room with an chilling intent. People might be more reserved if they understood just _why_ things are hard to accomplish around here. The longer the Titans stay in Jump, the more their enemies will _evolve_. The days of simple "mask"-related crimes against banks, companies, and technologies are over, now supervillians and corporate leaders will be the mainstay. If only the Mayor could see that, maybe they could get something _done._

"Robin?"

Turning about, the TV set to mute, Robin looks to his girlfriend with a faraway expression. "Yeah Star?"

"That man on the television. Does he insist that.."

"Sometimes it's better not to listen to people like that, Star. They get paid to make remarks like that, even if they don't always believe it." Turning back to the TV, it'll be a little hard explaining to her just why people do things like this.

"I still do not understand why people on this planet would desire to make such a profit off of people's fears... It would appear we would become less and less popular around the city if more people started to speak like he does."

"We're not always going to be liked, Starfire. Then again, it's not our job to be _liked_, it's our job to _protect_, even if they don't always see it that way." His gaze back to her unsure eyes, Robin asks "You look worried, Star? Don't be, this will blow over soon."

"... It is not that. I came down to tell you Cyborg found a lead on the Mumbo Jumbo."

Up from the chair with a flash, Robin can't believe their luck. It's been hard to find that magic-freak since returning from France. Hopefully it'll be a hot lead instead of another cold one. "What did he say?"

"A woman in Chinatown recently paid a private investigator to help track down Mumbo. A friend of Cyborg's told him where he could find this woman and he has learned just why he has become so... hard to find as of late."

"A private eye, huh? I'll have to find out who and what they know. Still, it's a good start. Thank you Star." As the caped hero starts for the door, it's Starfire's hand on his shoulder that keeps him from leaving. "What's wrong, Starfire?"

Maybe it's that gleam in her eye or the small turn of a smile at the edge of her lip that sends bells off in Rob's head. "Cyborg and Argent are in Chinatown and Raven has gone into the city. You have been ignoring me lately..."

Yeah, definitely an "uh-oh" moment. Nearing their adulthood, some of the Titans have been going through more changes than the others. "Not on purpose, Star."

"Good. You can make up for it right now." That cape has to go. "And you better turn that communicator off this time. You are not getting out of this with a fake police call."

* * *

Miles away in North Jump, a hooded figure touches down outside of an old, broken down building. Checking to the left and right, she closes her eyes and black energy changes her appearance into one... a little more "normal". If you're gonna be spotted, might as well protect your identity lest someone try and become famous.

If his journal's correct, this place should be his other major headquarters since the garage has burned down two months ago. He must've became an ant or something to get inside because the door appears boarded up and won't budge without some effort. Luckily it won't take that much, just a simple drop through the ground and up through the floor inside.

...

Dirt, lots of it. Dust all around, rust on the bits of metal beds in the back.. Cracked walls, broken light fixtures.. Could Gar really have _lived_ here for that long after he left in January? Empty bean cans show it _could_ be him but it's the other objects that have her attention. The stack of books near the window, some ranging from anatomy and physiology to military strategy and psychology.

"Gar, why didn't you _tell_ us?" she whispers to herself, the mess of a building hiding what might have been the birth of a far-more intelligent Garfield Logan. Nothing in the way of computers or GPS, just a few maps of Downtown and North Jump, a transit schedule, and a couple of menus from local restaurants.

...

But what truly catches her eye is the large toolbox next to the sleeping bag. The lock lies in the floor, perhaps he left in a rush? A gentle push open, the sight of nearly thirty knives of all varieties enters her view. From tiny knives meant to cut fishing line up to a machete, it seems Gar hasn't just been busy beating up criminals, he's been collecting his own arsenal. Most of the blades look as though work's been done to them to make them more serrated, more easily capable of cutting through flesh.

...

Faint memories of all those times in the Tower rush her mind at the sight. Stank ball, game station, BBQ on the roof and volleyball in the sunsets... He'd sleep in for hours, complain, moan, bitch on and on about this and that. He'd never read, only comic books and he'd never make his own food outside of tofu.. Where did this.. _ability_ come from? How much did Question bring out of him when he went to Hub?

Three beeps on the communicator, her mind's attention brought away finally, she picks up the device with a simple look of annoyance. "What's wrong, Cy?"

_"Rae, we found out what's been up with Mumbo. I've been hearing he's been using White Rabbit ever since he got back from France, must've made him go a little crazy."_

"Even the criminals are starting to take it..." she whispers to herself. "Do you know where he is?"

_"Still haven't found that part out yet but, if I'm hearing this right, we better find him soon. Word on the street is some high-ranking members of the city's underworld want him dead for something he did against them. Robin will lose his mind if another dead mask turns up on TV."_

"I bet. Have you told him about this yet?"

_"Haven't had a chance. Star and his communicators keep coming up "busy"."_

Yup, leave two hormone-filled college-age kids at home, look what happens. "Naturally. I'm almost done here, I can meet up with you two if you'd like."

_"Yeah, we can do that. Meet you Downtown near the pizza place. We'll go from there."_

"Fine. See you soon." Click..

One last look around the room, the gravity of that conversation starts to sink in. Another "mask" high on White Rabbit, running amok in this region... Must've done something really bad to piss of the gangs enough to order a hit on his head. Not that Robin or Star can do anything about it at the moment...

A sigh on her lips, she readies to depart when she speaks aloud one more time, hoping he can hear her wherever he is. "Garfield, if you're not dead, you better get home real soon. I don't know if Jump City can last much longer without you."

* * *

"You want us to _what?_ Are you out of your blooming' head or is that brain of your's finally gone the way of the dodo?" Boomerang replies, flabbergasted at the proposal. It seems he's the only one given Firefly's indifference, Rouge's curiosity, and Light's serious face. "I'm not even sure if I heard it correctly, maybe it's my own head plain' tricks on me or something. So, kindly would you _repeat_ that?"

"If we want to really strike a blow against the city's underworld, it could be in our interest to find Mumbo before the Baptist does. Whatever he's carrying is worth a ton of money to the gangs and we shouldn't let a chance like this go by." Light explains, deadpan expression despite the Australian's accusations of insanity.

"So, let me get this right then. You think we should stop ribbon' banks, even if only for a few days, just so we can go pick up some whack-job with information, just so we could extort the gangs into giving us money? Is that right? Because I don't think you quite understand what you're suggesting."

"We have been stealing their money, Boomerang." Rouge reminds, the idea sounding better in her own ears than the Aussie's. "They are already upset over that much. This would only be digging the knife in a bit deeper."

"Not to mention it works according to the plan. If we "save" one of the city's residents from a gang-sponsored hit, it should look good in the papers. Imagine the look on the Titans' faces when a criminal organization does their job for them." Light points out with that same look on his face.

"They're even saying on the news they're becoming useless." Firefly chimes in, referring to the broadcast on the twelve o'clock news. "But if we're going to do this, we need to make sure those gangsters _pay. _Otherwise, you can do this job without me."

"Whatever Mumbo has is worth enough to them to hire the Baptist. If they're that desperate, they'll be that willing to pay for us to return it." Rouge assures, standing up from the table. "We save the clown, we get paid, and the Titans look worse as a result."

"I'm just worried about what they're gonna do in retaliation. Say they hear we want money for... whatever he took. What's to stop them from sending the Baptist after _us_?" Boomer counters, feeling his throat and trying not to imagine what it's like to have it cut off.

"I know the Desades." Rouge answers, turning to Light. "Trust me, they'll be willing to work with us. And if they decide not to, we'll send their fanatic priest back to them in a box of burned-up pieces."

* * *

By four that afternoon, Robin has left the Tower heading towards Jump City's port warehousing section. Although a bit strange to see a man on a big, red motorcycle cruising past forklifts and delivery trucks, no one dares stop him. His destination is the unused section on the south end, to a building with a large "46" written on the side for identification. Once there and the engine off, he removes his helmet and looks to the front door. The communicator turned OFF, he activates security on the bike before heading towards the entrance way.

Inside, the dark abyss of blotted-out lights, rubble, and broken bits of machinery casts the ambiance of terror and fear of the unknown. How many memories were forged in this place, none of them but one worth reflecting upon with a smile. How close did the Titans come to defeat that day? The wrong turn of the cards, roll of the dice, or fate looking the other way could've made everything they've accomplish disappear before it began.

So he wastes no more time in memories, calling out one word "Slade!"

Nothing, just the ocean outside and the sound of creaking metal. The large gears and piles of rock won't dissuade him though, he _knows_ this man better than anyone else in this city. "I _know_ you're here, Slade. If you're going to attack, make it fast because I'm running out of patience."

_"Your temper hasn't gotten any better even in your adult years..."_ The sound echoes throughout the room, confusing the source a little bit. It seems the masked mastermind is using some psy-warfare on his old student.

"I have your kind to thank for that. So get your ass down here and let's have a talk then." Despite the neutral appearance he's giving, the wrapped cape around his frame conceals the birdarang in his hand. He may not be Batman but given a few more years...

_"As you wish_._"_ Stepping out from the darkness, the silver, black, and orange shape of Slade appears to the Boy Wonder. The question, however, is whether this is the _real_ Slade or not. "I take it this isn't a pleasant social call."

Gritting his teeth, his mind screaming for a retort, the "hero" simply forces the feeling down and replies sharp "No, this is business."

"Of course." Turning a bit to the side, looking at the debris in the distance, Slade remarks "I was starting to think you'd never come."

"What?"

"If anyone in the city understands what you're going through, it's certainly the man who taught you..."

With a spit, Robin rebukes that claim "You never taught me anything, _Slade_!"

Sarcastic though bemused, Slade chuckles a bit beneath the metal mask. "_Of course_ I haven't. Do your friends know you're here?"

"They don't need to know unless you decide to make this a fight."

Shaking his head, the former mercenary asks "How far we fall, hmm? Even after seven years together, you still don't trust them enough to tell them who you speak to."

"I don't have time for this!" Robin shouts, demanding to know one thing in particular. "If you're so goddamn smart, maybe you can tell me what the hell's going on this city? It hasn't been even two years and already these gangs in this city are becoming a bigger threat than even YOU!"

Finally matching eye to eyes, Slade's expression seems darker than usual. "Why? Come now, Robin, you already know the answer to that. Nothing in this world comes free but you _already_ knew that, didn't you?"

Voice growing deeper, more intense, eyes feeling like they're about to burst into flames, Robin warns "Watch your words, Slade. You don't know what you're talking about so don't PRETEND like you do!"

Leaning in to Robin's face, Slade counters "Oh I _do_ know what I'm talking about, Boy Wonder. It's the reason why you're here, asking where Mumbo is. You _know_ what he stole from Arthur Void and what it could _do_. The city won't be too happy if they find out what that clown found out, will they?" Leaning back, he turns his back to Robin. "In case you're wondering, I've known about your.. connections.. for quite some time. It's the sole reason I haven't tried to claim revenge on your _team_ since Trigon's defeat. Why bother gaining "revenge" when the Titans are already suffering a slow, agonizing death?"

"Slade..." Robin's fist balls up, the other hand ready to throw the birdarang through the villain's skull. "If you tell anyone what you've learned, I'll personally.."

On a heel, Slade turns back to the hero and demands fiercely "You'll WHAT? You'll finally step up to become my greatest apprentice? You'll send me back to Trigon once and for all? YOU'LL KILL ME? You haven't the guts, the will, or the ability to kill ME so don't, even for a moment, believe you're capable!" Composing himself once more, Slade leans back up and tells him in a calm voice. "Your secret is safe with me but once the story gets out, you're on your own. If you intend to keep it quiet, I suggest you find Mumbo. It won't be long until Rouge's new group finds him and uses it as blackmail."

Turning about and leaving, Slade's last words bring Robin's eyes to a rise... Bad enough the gangs want Mumbo, as does that North Jump detective... but now there's a _third_ group after that folder too?

Turning on the communicator again, Robin announces to the team. "Titans, listen up. We need to find Mumbo, and we need to find him now. He's out there and let's go find him. Titans, GO!"

* * *

A/N2: By return, you probably thought "Gar" but NOOO. Why not bring in Slade (if only for a cameo?). If anyone knows the Titans, it's Deathstroke. I'm not sure how much he'll be in this story but, from what I see in him, once he learned what Robin was doing (involving what's in the dossier), he probably would've felt disgusted. Such potential, wasted. But his words are rather haunting to write... if it's true, the Titans are slowly dying (and not from a criminal threat but from the city and the people they're trying to save). Still, now the gangs want to murder Mumbo, the Fatal Four want him for blackmail, the Titans to protect their secret, and Jake so he can fulfill his job requirment. If I dare say, it's almost looking a little Smoking Aces in this arc. Guess I missed a bit opportunity there, huh?

No real trivia in this chapter.

Rhetorical:  
- With the Slade reference earlier in the chapter, how many thought Slade would be "the returning character" at the end?


	41. Chapter 41

A/N: This chapter, the second-to-last of this small arc, took on a weird vibe near the end. The thing about drugs is they make you do weird things, both scary and/or ill-advised. This chapter is a very subtle look at old age and is it all worth it? The actors have gathered, the stage is set, and the guns are loaded... Let's see how the dice lands on this life.  
Special Note: Due to his help, this story will now be written under the credits as "Written by: Someone072 and thebaptistjohn" (deviantart names), his help with this story has been incredible and I couldn'tve gotten this far without his help. Thanks, John.

**A Bad Moon on the Rise...**

* * *

December 18, 2007.

The last week before Christmas, seven final days before Santa starts his march across the world. Of course, for most of Jump City's unique "characters", all they'd like is a certain blue-faced magician, for good or for ill. Weeks have passed and, miraculously, Mumbo has continued to evade his death as well as those who might be able to help him. This only adds to the tension around town as opposed to the mirth of the season: Something really bad could happen if this isn't stopped real soon...

* * *

Engine off, the black Monte Carlo sits still while it's owner reviews some papers in his hand. Scratching off locations on the documents, the radio does little to ease his tension as the list dwindles down to nothing. The smoke burning down to nearly nothing, his cold eyes fixate on those that have passed. "North Jump", "Chinatown", "Downtown", among others east of the city are checked off. With luck, Red X will get back to him ASAP because if he doesn't find him soon...

Cursing to himself as the cigarette burns to his lip, he throws the spent smoke outside and opens up his pack... No more remain, a fact which brings about a second round of obscenities. Thankfully the phone rings in his jacket pocket, bringing his eyes away from the list and burned ashes for a brief moment.

A quick check of the ID on the display, he answers with a simple "Yeah?"

_"It's Detective Sinclair. Have you found anything new on your target?"_

Definitely need another smoke, NOW! "Still turning up nothing. This freak's hiding better than Hoffa."

_"Well don't sound too pissed off. No one else knows where he is apparently. I've been tapping some contacts with my officers and I think we might be onto something."_

"Using department resources to help a private investigator? I always thought that was a "no-no" action within the JCPD?"

_"We're not doing it for you, Jake. If we find Mumbo, there's a good chance we find Desade's lackey behind him. We need that maniac if we're going to prosecute Antoine and his gang."_

Throwing the empty pack out the window, he starts up the car. "You sure know how to make me feel special, Rebecca. Hell, I'm doing the same job as your "officers" but the city's so kind NOT to pay me for it."

_"You could've went to the academy too, remember? You chose your bed now sleep in it."_

"Are you going to give me a head's up or will you keep wasting taxpayer money on this nagging phone call?"

She might be flipping him the middle finger right now but if she cooperates, he can let that slide. _"Alright, smartass, I'll give you "a head's up". We got a tip that the Baptist has been seen around the Downtown area for the past three nights. He normally spread out across the city during his search but it's possible he's got Mumbo cornered."_

That's a decent bit of information... _if_ it turns out to be true. "That's good and all but I need concrete evidence. I need a location and any intangibles."

_"Big words there, Jake. I'll text you the location and as far as intangibles, don't fight the Baptist! I mean it, DON'T FIGHT HIM! He will kill you without even batting an eye. Wait for backup to get there and we'll take him in."_

Pulling out into the street, Jake warns her "FYI, I've also heard the the Titans are on the hunt for Mumbo too. Those kids aren't going to let your police bring in Mumbo without them being involved. Their respect in the city's been taking a big hit lately, they won't miss this chance."

_"Then the kids will need to do some work for once and find him. The JCPD does it job and maybe we'll start getting some of that respect back for it."_

* * *

A coffee shop in Downtown is featured, the patrons coming and going as ordinary customers do. Ordinary people with ordinary jobs, unaware of the extraordinary man sitting back the back, looking out of the window. His diamond-studded cross about his neck, gray trench around his shoulders, with an emptied pot of coffee on the table, this screams a man not ordinary in the slightest. Behind shaded glasses, he looks out and across the window at a building now standing empty.

"You've been looking out that window for nearly twenty minutes." The waitress asks, stepping up to his table with another pot of coffee to fill his empty. "Waiting for someone?"

"A prankster of the devil's sort, hiding from the one true Lord." The Baptist offers solemnly then turns to the woman with a soft smile. "Sorry, I can get a little ahead of myself. I'm waiting for someone who's taking a bit too long to get here."

"Are you a priest?" this man seems a bit strange but nothing this city hasn't seen before. Filling his pot, she continues "Or maybe you're a bishop?"

"Perhaps I'll reach that high one day. In the meantime, I'm only a servant of God." Thanking her for the coffee refill, he gives her a twenty dollar bill as a tip.

"Father, I can't accept this much for..."

That smile remains on his face, even as he turns back towards the window. "A shepard helps those in the flock most in need. Now, go with God, my child."

Even as the amazed waitress retreats back to the counter, his smile fades only slightly as his eyes gaze back towards the business at hand. _"Where I'm going after this life, I won't be needing such a cancer as money."_

* * *

"Well now, you think the man could spare himself an hour to sleep?" Boomerang suggests with his eyes to a pair of binoculars. The target in sight is the Baptist, still sitting inside of the coffee shop and oblivious to the four on the roof across the street. "He's been awake for the past thirty-plus hours and he doesn't look tired in the slightest. Then again if I had two pots of the black stuff, I'd be wired faster than the Flash."

"The man won't stop until his job's complete." Rouge warns the group, spotting the hitman herself. "Proof that too much belief in something can be your downfall."

"I could do without the voodoo discussion." Firefly moans, checking the wristwatch for the time. "How do you plan on getting this clown out of here without getting Desade's gun after us?"

"I'll be sneaking into the building from the back." Rouge begins, allowing her hand to form a claw for a second then back again as though flexing the limb. "Mumbo will do what I tell him or I'll leave him for the Baptist to finish off. In the meantime, you three can distract him however you see fit."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Firefly asks, his eyes probably burning as hot as his flamethrower at this moment.

Turning to his two other teammates, Light offers "We know where the Baptist is as well as Mumbo. The Titans must be looking for Mumbo by now as well?"

"Bring the kiddies down here to distract the Jesus-freak, right?" Boomer offers, rubbing his chin at the idea. "Sneak in quick and fast, pull the loony out of the building, then watch as the kiddies and the brute do battle."

"And whoever wins, we can torch." Firefly adds in, hopefully getting the chance to use his pyromania for something other than preparation.

"Let's not go that far just yet." Rouge warns, the plan sounding good with that final exception. "Our work has made the Titans' reputation wane as of late. If we openly attack them, the city's media will change their opinion since we'd appear to be the villains here."

"The Titans can wait. Let's make sure the gangs get off our backs first before we make an even bigger enemy." Light suggests, looking over to Firefly. "As much as I'd like to set those kids on fire as well, the payoff will be bigger if we wait."

* * *

Later in the afternoon, the phone call comes in to the JCPD. The phone call is almost as funny as it is scary, the voice announcing that the Baptist is coming for Mumbo and the rest of "the people in this building." Normally this wouldn't be forwarded to the Titans but the involvement of "Mumbo" warrants the call to the Tower. Unfortunately, this also attracts Jake Dewalt, the P.I. speeding towards the business himself.

While the calvary comes charging, Rouge slips into the building with a wary eye. If the rumor is true, Mumbo might be crazed off White Rabbit. While not a physical threat, he poses the very real threat of a drug-induced frenzy that could involve some potentially dangerous magic tricks being used. Most of the building remains empty, a sign of bad economic times to come, but it also seems littered with enough shadows to hide someone as frail as Mumbo.

"Mumbo Jumbo, I know you're in here." Maybe not on this floor but perhaps a female's voice will bring him out as opposed to the threat of the Baptist. "I do not wish to hurt you, I am here to help."

_"You couldn't help me in Paris, you won't be able to help me in my home city."_

Head snapping back and forth, looking for the source, Rouge offers "The Brotherhood made it's own mistakes, we shouldn't have dragged your kind into this. Let me help you escape the Baptist, I owe you that much."

_"Owe me?"_ The echo bounces off the halls, through the stairwell she's now ascending, and into the very soul of the building itself. _"You used us for your own vendettas... All I got out of it was another arrest on my record and eventually an addiction to this horrible drug."_

"Would you like to add a decapitation to that list? If you don't come with me, the Baptist will get you. And I promise you that if he doesn't, the Titans _will_. They're on their way."

The setting sun outside casts the hallways and offices with an eerie, orange light but the shapeshifting criminal won't let this stop her. The Brotherhood burned everyone involved, especially her. Maybe she _does_ owe him a little bit of peace?

_"The Baptist and the Titans aren't after me, lady. They're after this folder in my hand."_

Folder? Is that what he stole? Her eyebrow contorts in confusion, this isn't what she expected Desade would grow so angry over. He'd send his prized killer after a man for stealing a _folder_? "What's so important in that folder that the gangs of this city would demand your head? And why are the Titans interested too?"

Stepping around a corner, she stops a moment as Mumbo stands in the corridor, looking at her with bloodshot eyes. Clutching a black folder to his chest, the blue-faced magician seems a shell of his once-famous self. "I hold the city in my hand."

* * *

"Ok, Titans, we know where Mumbo's been living these past few weeks. We need to get in there, find whatever it is he stole, and get him to safety before the Baptist cuts off his head." Robin briefs his team on the way to the site. Five looks of determined stares although Robin's seems to look twice as intense.

"Rob, you think the Fatal Four are gonna jump us during this? They've been trying to make us look bad these past few weeks." Cy asks, looking over from the driver's seat.

"If they're there, we need to keep them from Mumbo. He and that stolen property are our priority, those four can wait until later."

Argent and Starfire ask a few questions but it's Raven who's looking out from the window with a blank expression on her face. Another fight, another gang-related mishap, and someone's liable to get hurt from all of this. Fatal Four, Teen Titans, the gangs... Always getting hurt but who really gains? On top of that, will Jake be there? It's possible he found out about Mumbo's hideout too...

"Raven?" Robin asks, disturbing her thoughts for the moment. "Something on your mind?"

"Trying to think of what do in case those four arrive. We could have our hands full." The reply, although less convincing than usual, is still technically true.

Looking back towards the road, Robin tries to ease his teammate's tension. "We'll be fine. All that extra training's been paying off; I believe we can do it. Light's gang has it coming for all the crap they've been pulling."

"Save me a place for my foot, Rob. I want a piece of that lightbulb's ass too." Cy joins in, trying to lighten the mood.

Beast Boy would've lightened up this right about now... Not looking back to her teammates, Raven admits to herself "Maybe it'll be that easy..."

* * *

"The drug's beginning to shift gears on me again, Ms. Rouge." Mumbo admits politely, a strange sight on the criminal's face. "I'm not sure how much longer I can keep living like this. On the run, both from people and my problems, taking drugs and praying I'm not murdered in my sleep. All because of this stupid folder; I'm not even sure why I stole it in the first place." Holding the document out, he shakes his head at the sight of it. "I should've just robbed a bank or a jewelery store.. I would've saved myself all this hassle.."

"But you didn't. You went for the big fish and caught something truly valuable." Rouge tells him, noticing the look of sorrow crossing his eyes. Then again, it could also be a look of realization that his time _could_ be up.

"Have I? This folder contains such dark secrets about this city's underworld... Things I wouldn't believe had I not seen it for myself." Looking up to her, her height clearly taller by a foot or so, he asks "How far will we go just to make a few dollars?"

She should be getting out of here right now but... "Some people will destroy the entire world for it. There comes a time when money isn't everything."

A bemused laugh, sarcastic towards himself and her own words, Mumbo replies "No.. it's not. But to us, it's damn near ninety-percent, isn't it?"

A small grin on her face, she admits "Maybe ninety-five." That smile disappearing though, she warns "We haven't got much time. When the Titans arrive, the Baptist will intervene. The police won't be too far behind them either. We need to get you back to our headquarters before that happens."

Nodding, he takes a look at the black folder once again. "They're coming... If I could, I'd fight them all. It's been so long since I've truly felt alive." Eyes glazing over, seemingly foggier by the moment, he looks up to her with a toothy grin. "Well, if I'm already the walking dead, why not go out with a bang, right?"

Before she can offer a reply, he thrusts the folder into her arms. "What are you doing?"

Putting on his black hat, wand gripping between his fingers, the Amazing Mumbo prepares for one last performance. "The show must go on, with or without me. Call me a drugged-up fool but I feel like today's my lucky day."

This folder, in his words, might be worth the entire city in value.. but that last bit of humanity in her head needs to know the truth. "What should I do with this?"

Offering a wink under that hat of his, he offers "Make some magic happen with it. And if you're not the magic type, save it for a rainy day. You never know, it might come in handy."

* * *

At the scene, the Titans leave their vehicle and spread out across the area in question. Police should be arriving any moment but there's no time. Mumbo's in that building and they need to save him before...

Speak of the devil, Mumbo emerges from the front of the building, a proud smile on his face despite the glassy tint in his eyes. Unlike the young adults before him, he appears to have accepted his fate.

"Mumbo!" Robin shouts, ever the leader that he is. "Don't attack, we're here to help!"

Sonic cannon, starbolts, you name it, the Titans have their powers ready in case he does something stupid.. Although none of them can expect what's said next.

"_Help_? Dear boy, I believe you're the one that needs help. I stand here with joy in my heart, ready to accept my fate with a performance for the ages!"

"Accept it by getting down on the ground, face first. We're going to get you out of here."

That smile only grows larger as he looks past the Titans, towards the coffee shop. Widening, he places his hands on his head, ready to shake the city to it's core. "Don't worry, Robin. Your secret is safe with me but my safety isn't. As a matter of fact, I'm already dead."

"What? What are you talking about, my _secret_?" Robin might appear tough on the outside but he may start shitting bricks on the inside. "Tell me, what do you _know_?"

... What a beautiful moment, stained by so horrible a drug. "Robin, a true magician never reveals his secrets."

And at that word, thirteen spades burst forth from the cafe window and tear into the body of Mumbo Jumbo. Eyes wide, blood pouring from his mouth, the body of Mumbo falls dead onto the concrete asphalt while five Titans stare on in shock and awe.

That emotion quickly changes to fear as a large man steps out of the window, a deck of cards jumping from hand to hand. "Finally he who uses heathen magic, defying His will, is dealt with righteous judgment. Walk forever backwards in the eight pit of Hell. You who corrupt the gifts God grants you, ye will burn in Inferno for all eternity. Amen!"

The Titans, their attention fully on Baptist now, prepare their weapons and powers for a counterattack. Baptist, to his credit, simply turns towards the youths. Cards returning to his pocket, he joins his hands together. "And now the Lord grants me the opportunity to rid the Earth of more heathens. Oh ye are a generous God indeed..."

* * *

A/N2: Mumbo has died in an honorable way (in his own mind).. You may say "he died in vain" but, in doing so, he's revealed the Baptist to those who might avenge him. The weird things drugs (and from experience, alcohol) will do to a person can never be truly understood. He gives the Titans the chance to stop the Baptist but also Rouge the chance to save the city from it's corruption. For a drugged up, failure of a criminal, he may have become the wild card in a very strange deck of life.  
The Baptist can be downright cruel, can't he? Not to mention the biggest hypocrite I've ever written.

Trivia:  
- Dante's Inferno references. The Eight circle, section 4, is for sorcerers and others involved with magic and fortune telling (Mumbo counts as this). In that part of hell, your head is turned backwards.

Rhetorical:  
The Titans will have their hand full but is Mumbo the only victim on this day?


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: The fight between the religious hitman and the Teen Titans has arrived. The fight in of itself isn't meant to be overly spectacular, if anything it's a setup to a plot event midway in the chapter. To me, the Titans don't have "epic" fights ever episode (or chapter), those are rare compared to their normal, everyday fights. This could've been more epic had Gar been involved but, truth be told, these people have never fought before (so it's a little bit confused). This arc was never meant to be an action-packed arc, it's setup for the return of the Watchman. Enjoy the little intrigue at the end, you'll like it.

**A Bad Moon on the Rise...**

* * *

December 18, 2007.

"Baptist, we're taking you in for murdering Mumbo." Robin begins, teeth gritting at the sight of the manic holy man. "And we'll be asking you some questions about Beast Boy while we're at it."

Cards flapping back and forth in his hands, Baptist bursts out a quick laugh at the name. "Beast Boy? You mean The Watchman, don't you? If we're going to be speaking, it would only be polite to refer to people by their proper names, yes?"

While the four other members of the Titans glare with intensity, none can claim more anger than Raven at this moment. Unlike her friends, they don't have the sight of Gar's memories in her mind... That soulless delivery, cutting into your flesh with cards just because you don't fit into his "perfect" religion... The sheer hypocrisy of it all.. "I'll call you a murderer because that's what the hell you are!" she shouts, flinching the others from Baptist but a moment.

Cards stopping, sliding into the spaces between his fingers, Baptist's grin only widens at the woman's shout. "Judge not the pious, demon spawn, but rejoice in prayer with trembling hands. For you and your friends shall find yourselves before God this day... and he will judge your souls guilty!"

The battle begins in earnest as Robin throws the first birdarang. Swatted down by the cards in Baptist's hands, the hitman merely grins at the attempt. "Come all ye faithful, the Lord accepts all into his heart."

Robin moves in first to try a series of kicks, swiping at the man's head and ribs with all his years of training. All he gets is a near-hit on his throat, the cards slashing inches from his neck. Cyborg's sonic blast is evaded, only just, and Starfire's starbolts are deflected by the cards.

The poker cards in hand, Baptist announces to his enemies. "Let's start this off with five diamonds for five dead children."

Each of the cards thrown takes on a life of it's own in mid-flight. Hesitating to attack, they're forced to look abound as they spin in air, turning sharply, directing this way and that. They come in, veer off, and move in for the kill. Unfortunately for the Baptist, the Titans are much better equipped at fighting these than Watchman was. A series of starbolts, plasma rays, sonic bursts, and birdarangs does the job.

To raise the most fear in Baptist, however, is the sight of Raven stopping the card meant for her in mid-air inches from her face. "Telekinesis with command over these special playing cards." Looking his way, she warns angrily "You got lucky with Watchman, you won't do the same to us!"

A growl on his lips, Baptist mutters to himself while reaching into his coat pockets. "Clever little bastards... Very well, five doesn't suit you? One each is far too subtle.." Taking an entire deck to his hands, all forty-seven remaining, he prays aloud before throwing them. "He who created all things, bring rains of spears and swords against Your enemies and bestow them a death worthy of Your name!"

One card to each was bad enough but now nine to three of them and ten towards Raven and Robin seem to be insane...

* * *

Although Rouge still hasn't emerged from the building, the one next to it provides the three other men of the Fatal Four a good view of the battle. Not that the battle's going well for the hitman but he's shown to be quite... tenacious before with Watchman and Mumbo.

"Think the kids got a prayer?" the pun isn't lost as Boomerang speaks those words.

"Depends on how many cards he has. If I were Robin, I'd be moving in close. He doesn't look good at hand-to-hand." Light suggests, cupping his chin.

A snort of irritation, Firefly suggests forcibly "Fuck that. These Titans supposedly have all this firepower, burn his ass. I bet those three bitches together could rip him apart without needing Boy Blunder or the tin can."

"I've seen first hand what they can do..." the memory of City Hall and Raven's incredible psychic blast is memory enough for Dr. Light. "But they're not dealing with a city-wide threat; they'll hold back their power."

"Awful waste of damn good meta powers though, isn't it?" Boomer adds, wincing as Cyborg takes a nasty cut to the chest armor with a glancing poker card. "Sure wish I could lift cars with my mind." The three find that much in agreement as a car is indeed used in combat. Raven's psychic powers lift up a vehicle, using it to shield her and Argent from the incoming playing cards. "So that one in the goth get-up... She's the one you were talkin' about?"

"Yeah, the one called Raven. She's the one that defeated me back in June." Light replies, fist balling around his energy projectors. "She was strong enough to put down the devil, a demon, something like that. I don't know the whole story."

"No kiddin'? Someone like that you'd think the League would've gotten a hold of by now."

* * *

As the car absorbs the remaining cards in the air, she turns the automobile towards the Baptist. "See how you like being crippled, _murderer_!"

Crashing down towards him, Baptist nearly gets crushed if not for a last second roll out of the way. A hand rubbing across his lip, wiping away some liquid, he readjusts his glasses. This wasn't as easy as Antoine predicted, nor are they as easy to provoke. But a true warrior for God doesn't shirk when the demons present themselves, they stand and fight! "Perhaps I've been underestimating your kind."

"Or maybe you're just way out of your League." Cyborg punctuates with two cannons aimed the hitman's way.

"You tries to harm our friend. We will not let you harm another." Starfire proclaims in mid-air, hands glowing along with her eyes.

"Face it, Baptist. You can't win here." Robin warns, offering a chance of escape. "If you don't surrender now, we'll make sure you wake up in a stretcher instead of a prison cell."

Breathing hard still from the dodging and the rare feeling of adrenaline in his blood, Baptist considers this quickly and decisively. "You want me to do that, don't you? Just _give up_? You expect me, a servant of God, to just _give up_ to your _authority _? Dear boy, I'm afraid you're the ones out of your League." Unbuttoning his coat, the sides blow open to reveal a horrifying sight. Where it took two decks of cards to defeat Watchman, the Titans have now provoked a giant. Not two decks but fifty-two decks line the interior of the coat, each with their own fifty-two cards inside.

"You gotta be kidding me." Cyborg marvels, his cannons lowering slightly.

Giggling a bit over the edge of sanity, Baptist taunts his soon-to-be-dead rivals. "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Bursting out from the deck holders, thirteen of the fifty-two vomit forth their numbers. Forming a ringed-cloud of cards before the Baptist, he holds his black-gloved hands forward with eyes wide open. "Now suffer."

* * *

"No way." Light remarks, startled. "Holy shit, how many cards does that man have?"

"Too many if you ask me. Bloke's lost his mind if he's throwing cards around like that." Boomer also sounds a bit more fearful than before.

"I could've told you that." Firefly chimes in. "Those kids backed him into a wall. The last thing you need is a religious nut with no way to run."

From their view, they can see the cards scatter about the street like a snow storm. They could easily cut through each Titan but it seems they toy with them each time. Despite the energy blasts and hand-thrown weapons, it seems like they only press further. Even as Raven tries to grasp an oncoming card, it explodes suddenly, throwing her to the ground.

"Explosive-tipped cards too, mate." Boomer informs his comrades. "This bugger's packing heat and it's not pretty."

Starfire's voice screams across the area as a card digs into her forearm, deep enough to cause intense pain but not enough to sever the limb.

"He even got the alien." Firefly whispers to himself. "She looked like she was in control more than the goth or the silver chick."

Even with the sounds of police sirens coming, the three don't take their eyes off the fight. Robin is knocked down by an exploding card as he attempts a front flip into a kick. The holy man simply smiles, kicking Robin across the face for his troubles.

Light, teeth grinding and eyes burning, finds his fists starting to hurt from the pressure he's building on them. "Desade's sick, using a man like this."

"You got that right." Boomer agrees, Firefly following suit.

"This guy's going to kill those kids.. He's going to do what EVERY criminal in this city's been waiting years for and not ONE of us gets to be apart of it."

"Just wait until he turns those cards on the police. They'll point their guns, he'll just cut their heads off." Firefly points out as the police are stopping now, forming a barricade to keep civilians away.

A growl in his throat, Light turns to Boomerang to ask the question they aren't expecting "What's stopping us from getting down there?"

"And get my head lopped off? Forget about that, mate, I'm not that out of my mind."

"I'm not getting paid to get murdered by a Jesus freak neither." Firefly retorts.

Turning to both of them, Light's voice barks with anger. "And I don't give a shit about these kids either.. But if _this_ is what Desade's gonna send our way, I'd say we fucking kill him before he gets the chance. If he's done with Mumbo, we're _next_ on the list!"

"Maybe so but that's a fight for a different eve, Light."

Another scream, this time from Argent, only furthers his resolve. "Look, if anything, what do you think those media scum are gonna do when they see _us_ helping the Titans beat a _gang hitman_? They already think the Titans look bad, right? Fuck this, we can show the city we can beat them _at their own game_!"

* * *

"Perhaps you're wondering why I haven't killed you yet?" Baptist asks, the cards swirling about his body again. The five bloodied, beaten Titans kneel or lie before him on the unforgiving asphalt, groaning in pain. "Those police over there, thinking they can stop me. God's will won't be halted by sheep hiding behind tin badges. I will show these _people_ how low their _Titans_ stand in God's eyes. All I needed was an audience to watch it."

Robin bleeds from a wound on his forehead, blood staining the left section of his mask and hiding his vision. Using his bo staff to hold himself up, a hand to his ribs, the looming defeat feels more acidic by the moment. "We're not dead yet. We _will_ stop you."

_"Baptist! This is the police, we have your surrounded!"_ calls the voice of the JCPD. Dozens of guns aimed his way from his right and left, he is left no way of escape and...

"What's this? You have me _surrounded_? I serve God's judgment, you will _not_ interfere!" Snapping his arms inward, across each other, the cards follow and zoom off towards the police. In a rare act of kindness, the blades simply tear through or embed into the metal guns, rendering them useless. His sick laugh of victory only adds to the humiliation...

...

Until a beam of light strikes his chest, knocking him back a few steps. "What?"

Stepping out from the building Mumbo appeared, Dr. Light, Firefly, and Captain Boomerang stand ready for their own judgment: Baptist's judgment.

"You?" Robin gasps as the three pass by the Titans, walking tall. Light looks back a moment and offers a confident, gloating smile before looking back to the Baptist.

"So, _you're_ the ones who've been robbing the gangs banks as of late..."

"You might say that, mate. And before you whip those cards back, let's show you how a _real_ "villain" fights." Boomer warns, throwing one of his boomerangs at the hitman. Exploding with a flashbang, Baptist is staggered back a moment, trying to focus his vision once more.

"Firefly, care to do the honors?" Light offers

"Oh yeah." Raising his gun, the pyromaniac unleashes a stream of hot flame towards his opponent. Although the playing cards eat up most of the flame, burning to cinders in the air, the Baptist's coat also burns, forcing him to abandon the large piece of fabric to the street.

"Bastards," the hitman growls in disdain. "I'll butcher you all!"

Hands coming together at his side, enough to form an energy ball between the two projectors, Light stares with icy eyes at the religious zealot. "You like prayers, maniac? I have a hymn for you then.. This little light of mine, I'M GONNA LET IT SHINE!" Firing the energy ball, the blast hits Baptist in the chest again, throwing him the ground with a loud thud.

"Had enough?" the three ask, standing tall across from the downed form of John "Baptist" Reilly.

Looking up, glasses broke, he only offers a snicker of insane delight. "You didn't burn all of my cards."

At the sound of a finger snap, several dozen cards rise off the ground and lift into the air. At the same time, Baptist smacks the ground hard, throwing himself to his feet. "And he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!"

Cards come in, neither of the three are prepared to defend themselves from...

BANG!

To everyone's surprise, the cards fall out of the air, the three men of the Fatal Four don't get impaled, and Baptist's eyes widen with extreme horror. In the middle of both of his outstretched arms, a bullet has struck through both in a single shot. The blood already starts to drip outward onto the black asphalt, the smoking barrel of a .38 special rests in the well-trained hands of Jake Dewalt.

Dropping to the ground, the Baptist's arms don't move but his mouth does that in spades. "You... you..."

Stepping above Baptist, Jake glares down at the hitman with a hidden anger in his eyes. "Yeah, I did. A little present to your bastard employer. He took my friend's life, I took away his friend's lifeblood."

Rebecca and other officers close in, guns trained on the now hapless Baptist. Turning towards the Titans, Jake slides his gun back into his waist. "Baptist murdered Mumbo?"

Gathering by Jake, they're greeted by EMTs and other personnel. Raven speaks for the group while Robin tends to Starfire and the medics. "Yes. He got him with a deck of cards."

"They said he stole something from one of the gangs. Did he have it on him?"

"No, he just walked out and set himself up. I think he tried bringing Baptist out here so we could get him." Robin calls for Raven to help with the wound, Starfire's handling it well but it's not the prettiest of injuries. "You're Jake Dewalt, aren't you?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

Starting for Starfire, she tells him "I know you from Garfield. We should work together if we're going to find him."

* * *

By the time the news network shows the story, Desade's living room is a wreck. Tables turned over, glass shattered from bar to windows, it seems the drug baron is less than pleased with today's results.

_"Our top story is the fight that erupted today between the Teen Titans and the serial killer-for-hire John "the Baptist" Reilly. Police are still unsure how the fight broke out but local "supervillain" and former famous magician Tom "Mumbo Jumbo" Kenny was found at the scene dead, his body pierced with poker cards. The style of murder is the Baptist's prime method of murder and the criminal was apprehended by the JCPD. Surprising to note is the involvement of the supervillain group "The Fatal Four", even more surprising is they assisted the Titans in attacking the Baptist. Although unsuccessful in stopping him, this new development raises the question of just how much of a threat do these four individuals pose to the city?"_

The remote crashes into the screen, destroying it with a blast of sparks of smoke. Desade, a vein forming at the side of his head, growls with rage at the final shot of the broadcast before his temper exploded...

It's bad enough to have Void breathing down your neck.. but to see an image of his children's mother and her three lackeys posing at the crime scene sends him into a fantastic rage.

* * *

Void, with Bulletface, Mao, Daiyu, and Xavier present, stands in his office, overlooking the city. In a deathly calm voice, the CEO tells his associates. "Looks like Antoine's hitman wasn't up to the task. He wasn't _good_ enough to complete one _simple_ task. Now, we have a murder probe forthcoming AND someone very dangerous to our business in police custody... This we _cannot_ forgive."

"What should we do?" Bulletface asks, the thought of the Baptist's defeat is hard enough to swallow.. but this could be really bad if Jump City's lawyers get involved.

"Do? What can we do? Mumbo didn't have that folder on him when he was killed, there's no way to tell WHERE OR WHAT he did with them.. We can only hope it's in a barge with tons of other garbage heading off for the middle of nowhere! As for the present and these "Fatal Four", it's time for a little retaliation. We're going to get what we pay those kids to do and then we're going to torture all four of them until they're BEGGING for death." Turning to the four before him, Void orders "Mao, tap any Chinese contacts you need to, find out everything about these fuckers you can. Bryson, get me as much heat on the streets as possible, you'll be in charge of keeping Antoine in check. As for you Daiyu..."

Her cold eyes meet the CEO's, not enjoying the feeling of being ordered around by this _indecent_..

"Daiyu, I need a favor from you. If we're going to take this city by storm, we're going to need somethings from uncooperative people. You can persuade them like no one else. I'll be relying on you since Antoine's shown he's not up to the task of being relied on." Casting a glance at each one of them, he runs a hand through his slicked-black hair, warning each "This isn't the time to get fancy or fucking caught neither. Let's ride this shit out, keep our heads clear, and everything will be back to business as usual."

Void's words might be confident, at least to him, but the icy chill of the mid-December air outside might be more foreboding than the city realizes... A new year is coming, who will survive in 2008? 

* * *

A/N2: Jake gets the last laugh, disabling Baptist's ability to use his psychic powers (for now). The Titans have been bloodied but I suspect they'll be ready for him next time. How about the three guys of the F4 jumping in? I don't think Light did it just to make the Titans look bad though, despite what he told the others. And now with Void ready to dispatch Desade from his "gang" as it were, things are looking a bit hectic in Jump. Raven and Jake working together once might be funny (but, she's gonna be chillin' with someone else in the mini-arc coming up). And yes, this was the end of the "Bad Moon" arc.

Trivia:  
- One of Baptist's quotes was from the bible "Deuteronomy 31:8"  
- Another one of his prayers was taken from Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney) "and he shalt smite the wicked.." spoken by the Judge.

Rhetorical  
- Desade's family life sure is interesting, huh?  
- In comparison to "Watchman Draft 1", out of the four things (Reviews, Chapters, Words, and Hits), Reviews is greater than Draft 1. I'm eight chapters from tying, another 20 or so thousand words, and like 18,000 hits from tying WM 1. Incredible (even if WM 1 was written in 6 weeks).


	43. Faraway, So Close

A/N: Been on a tear lately (but don't expect a new chapter tomorrow, I have a big Halloween party to attend and Leatherface won't be late.) Gar's not home yet, and won't be for a little bit longer, but there's a heads up in this story (and no, it's not obvious) that you should keep an eye on. Jump City's becoming strange to me in that no one knows who's really in power but each side has power.. It's like a five-way war between Bulletface, Desade, Titans, Goverment, and everyone else for control of something no one person COULD control. Still, it makes for a good read. Part 1 of 2 for this mini-arc.

**Faraway, So Close...**

* * *

April 28, 2008.

_"It's strange how things can change so much and, yet, stay the same. In the six months since Garfield's disappearance, the city's seen such a large rise in crime and yet you'd hardly even know it. If you walk down the street, you're more likely to be run down by a car than mugged at gunpoint. On top of that, you're even less likely to be killed or injured by a metahuman, criminal or hero. _

_If anything, the only public change since Gar vanished seems to be the growing protest against the city council and their reliance on the Teen Titans. What started as a few negative segments on local television and radio has steadily grown into regular protests outside the temporary city hall. Outside of the Valentine's Day protest which got out of hand, the city's residents have kept things relatively safe. Not that the Titans haven't been helpful, we have, but with our shift from regular crime and masks to the Fatal Four, we haven't had time to worry about the dissenters._

_We still don't know why the Fatal Four helped us against Antoine Desade's personal hitman. The few fights we've had with them have all been due to Robin's insistence on capturing them. While he tells us he's being pressured by the city, it's more likely an attempt to quiet the protesters. The vast majority of them seem to be supporting the Fatal Four's efforts to combat the gangs, something we still don't do... I don't agree with their criminal intentions but, and Gar pointed this out in his journal often, sometimes you have to bend the rules to get things done. Like it or not, no matter if we're trying to help them or arrest them, they're fighting the criminals we should be chasing after._

_As for myself, the past few months have been one of worry, fatigue, and a general sense of uneasiness. Nearly six full months with no word from Garfield, no side coming forward to claim his death, and I'm starting to wonder about Robin's mental health. The more we try and stop the Fatal Four, the more we fail altogether. They don't have us beat in firepower or numbers but they're using popular opinion against us, specifically Robin's leadership of the Titans. You can see the frown almost etching itself into his face as the days pass, even as Starfire does her best to help him. And as we all know, an angry, motivated Robin means we need to be just as ready as he is... and we can't maintain that level of intensity for too long, we've started to burn out._

_With the Titans Appreciation Day event days away, under heavy protest, we'd hoped to keep the stress down a bit. We work hard all year and the last thing we need is to show the city just how tired we really are. That's when I got the phone call from a man claiming to be "a friend of a green friend". He asked to meet me at the pizza shop, our team's favorite restaurant, and he'd offer me help in finding Garfield. Six long months and not a word from Gar, I was already starting to fear the worse. If he would help me find him, maybe it was worth the shot..."_

* * *

At the intersection just below the pizza shop, Raven finds herself on a bench, patiently awaiting for this mystery man. Given the city's current protests, she abandons her usual attire for the jeans and tank top from her outing back in June. Skin and hair colors are easy enough to change through magic but those eyes remains as purple as an emperor's robe. Nothing to do on this fine, sunny day in Jump City than to people-watch and wait...

... This was there they first met, even if by accident and under sour circumstances. Starfire's escape towards this planet triggered it all, they'd probably never have met without her. Eight years since that day she tore up this intersection.. and brought them together as a result. Robin, the loner from Gotham; Cyborg, the loner from Jump City; her coming from Azarath, on the run from Trigon as ever; Starfire from a prisoner ship out in space... And Beast Boy coming from a stint in the Doom Patrol. Barely older than fourteen they eventually saved the city from an alien invasion and became the city's protectors as a result of that fateful meeting... How far they've come and how cruel has life been to each of them since.

"Excuse me, miss. You wouldn't happen to be a friend of Garfield Logan, would you?"

The name brings her attention to the right, looking up at... nothing. An empty face adorned with a blue fedora. "Who are you?" Startled, yes, but even more surprised she'd know Gar's real name.

"Who? Telling you would make a mask seem redundant, wouldn't it?" Q toys for a moment before realizing that glare on her face isn't disappearing. "Seems Garfield's observation of your sense of humor was accurate. I use the name Question when I'm working," offering his hand to the now-standing woman, he concludes "nice to meet you."

Returning the handshake, she accepts "I read about you in Gar's journal. He didn't write much about his time with you but now I can put a name to a face. I'm Raven."

"The famous woman I've heard so much about... He told me you'd be better at finding him than I would."

"He told you that? When?"

"This time last year." Hands in his pockets, he gestures away from the buildings to a car across the street. "We'll discuss that on the way. Time's too precious to be wasted standing idle."

* * *

"Been awhile since I drove through this part of the Bay Area." Q muses as the pair drive through downtown North Jump in the blue Shelby. "Hopefully this time will yield better results."

"Do you really think he's still alive?" Raven asks, a feeling of odd nostalgia ringing in her head. Gar's memories still faintly remind her of the Watchman's first ride with Hub's enigmatic conspiracy theorist.

"The kid's got the spirit. He was a surprisingly good student, despite how rocky things got from time to time. We had our moments but he still managed to surprise me at times."

"I read his journal but he didn't go into detail about what he learned... But a few months ago I went to one of his houses here and found some books he was keeping."

"It was a habit he picked up a month or two into his time with me. I suppose he grew bored with my theories and found a better hobby to pass the time." Turning onto another street, Q wonders aloud "Didn't peg him for the reader type though."

"He isn't... or at least _wasn't_. I don't think he ever cared to read anything more intelligent than a comic book. Really surprised me when I saw a book on human anatomy with notes on the pages."

Taking a glance at the woman across the seat, her eyes staring at the pedestrians but unseeing, he suggests "As I said, he tended to surprise me at times. Professor Aristotle told me he never saw a boy his age, with no prior training, take up chemistry so quickly. No wonder he got so good at using C-4..."

"Did you also teach him how to use knives? I saw a lot of them at his hideout."

A pause for a moment before the faceless man answers "No, I only showed him how to defend himself. My comment about thinking like an animal must have gone deeper than I expected."

"Either that or he decided to take it a step further. He had a gun the last time I saw him."

* * *

A stop by the Johnston Apartments is in order; the occupant of room 423 needs to be visited. Jake's initial look of surprise fades as he beholds Raven and the Question staring back at him. "Ok, let me guess.. Either this is the _worst_ dressed assassins I've ever seen or you two happen to be superheroes?"

"Better paid heroes." Question answers dryly, walking in as Jake opens the door for them.

Inside, the smell of coffee on the stove seems more inviting than the dingy confines of this low-rate apartment. "All I have is decaf but I have plenty of it. Take a seat."

As Jake fetches the three drinks, Raven finds herself looking around the small kitchen, taking it all in. Gar's description wasn't too detailed but the few words he mentioned never mentioned how... confining an apartment like this really is. Her room at the Tower might even be bigger than this whole place.

"Wish I could get you guys an update on our favorite bum but I've been busy working the job lately. Not to mention busy keeping up with the news." Handing the drinks over to his visitors, Jake takes a seat as well, sipping the hot beverage. "With the Desades and the Bulletface Gang on the brink, it's been tight around this city. Hell, I hear they've started shooting at each other from time to time."

"No one's happy in this city." Raven replies, the taste of coffee a far cry from her usual herbal tea. "The people are protesting against the Titans, the government's trying to keep everything calm, masks are robbing gang banks, and the gangs are about to tear each other apart. I even heard a container boat crashed into the shore this morning in the fog. Nothing's been too positive lately."

"Like a dog chasing it's tail; always chasing but never catching." Question admits to his younger friend. "And the one person who'd love to cash in on this whole mess might've died six months ago."

A long drink of coffee and a bitter nod, Jake agrees with the hero. "Sadly so. I've heard nothing about Gar out there, not a word. No goons beat up, no buildings taken out, and no gang attacks other than gang-on-gang runs. I hate to admit it... but Gar _might_ be dead."

"I don't think he's dead." Raven cuts in, a little quicker than normal. "If he would've died, I would know. His ghost would haunt me just for the fun of it."

Jake looks over to Q for an explanation but the empty stare of Q's mask won't offer any answers. "Well we have that much in common. Every time I thought I was safe, he'd appear from under my door to wreck my day. Usually he'd just ask for information but he dragged me along for some of his more stupid stunts." A sigh on his lips, the investigator remarks further "I don't know if he's still alive or not, I hope he is. But, just in case he isn't, anyone up for a toast?"

"With coffee?" Q suggests but given the lack of alcohol.. "Fine."

"Maybe it'll bring us good luck if he _is_ alive."

* * *

On his balcony looking over the ocean and part of Downtown, Void and Daiyu sit on the lawn chairs, admiring the sight before them. Helicopters, police boats, all sorts of vehicles converging on the Great Highway, Jump's beachfront avenue. The crashed ship seems so large in comparison to the rest of the vehicles surrounding it.

"Glad that wasn't one of ours." Void remarks, drink in hand. "Mao doesn't have many ships to begin with."

"Must've had a computer problems. Fog's bad enough but no eyes either..." Daiyu suggests, cringing at the thought of seeing that ship come in first hand. "Shame they couldn't hit Titans Tower, hmm?"

A chuckle at that "Yeah, I wish. We aren't so lucky to have that happen. If it hit Void's docks, I'd be happier still."

"Why do you listen to him? All it would take is a single bullet and he'd be out of your life forever."

Glancing over, Bulletface can see the look in her eyes. "Daiyu, you know better than anyone why I can't. I'm not worried about him personally, I could kill him with a hand behind my back. But what good will that do with a federal trial AND a lost port connection? Mao's connections are good but they're not enough to keep business going... especially when I take over Antoine's business."

"But you cannot allow him to keep walking on you like this."

"Patience is something your father's been helping me with." The glare from the Chinese woman makes him swallow his drink a little harder than usual. "Sorry, _Mao_'s been helping me. Unlike most gangsters, I can bide my time and sell my pride. Pride never helps, it only hurts."

An eye raised at that one, Daiyu turns back to the cityscape with sarcasm in her voice "Really? You of all people should know about pride."

"Pride in your work is one thing; pride in yourself is another. I'm not proud of myself for needing Void a little longer but I'll be proud to put a bullet in his fucking head."

* * *

"The good news is we finally got Baptist out of police custody. You'd be amazed how little the guard wanted to smuggle in a pack of humble poker cards." Marin speaks to his family around a table at the new Blue's Place. No guests, they're not allowed on the upper floor. They might not live to get that far even if they tried with all the bodyguards stationed by the stairs.

"Good. I want him back here as soon as possible. I just hope his arms healed good enough or he'll be of no use to me." Antoine remarks, puffing on his trademark cigar but lacking the usual swagger he's known for.

"And the bad news?" Rose asks, busy taking sips from her glass of Captain Morgan rum and coke.

"The bad news is we think Bulletface has enough guns and manpower to overthrow us. Void's been feeding him extra support for months and he'll be coming for us sometime soon."

"That prick wouldn't know _true_ power if it came up and stuck him in the ass." Desade snarls, the thought of that bastard taking _his_ spot unacceptable to his mind. "We'll get him before we pay that faggot Void back for all he's done. He _really_ thinks he owns this city, huh? Well, he better get his ass in line because _we've_ been here long before he knew what a racket looked like."

"Actually I forgot the other bit of good news. My boys _might _have found where the Fatal Four are camped at."

"Those fuckers who keep hitting up our assets?" Rose questions, her hand feeling a little sharper than before. The poor glass of booze won't stand a chance.

"Yeah. They could shoot the shit out of all of them if you'd like." Marin asks of his father, lamenting the sunglasses hiding his eyes from view.

"Maybe but I doubt they could get them all. No, we'll need to make an example of one of them." Putting out his cigar, Desade suggests "One of the three guys, we'll save the whore for last. I want you to bring him back to me once you get him, got it?"

"Clear." Marin answers, looking about the club. "Other than that, the city's right where it supposed to be. Just waiting for the phone call from out East."

"He'll call. In the meantime, I want both of you to drive over to North Jump and find out what's going down. Bryson thinks shooting up one of my businesses is gonna make me shit myself.. How about you take our guys and make him shit himself twice as hard. I hear he has family over that way... Pay them a visit, ok?"

* * *

_"I can tell you for a fact that Gar isn't in North Jump. Every contact I've spoken to, every barfly I've visited, no one's seen him, green or human. If I were you, I'd look for him somewhere in Downtown. If he's alive, he knows better than to come to North Jump right now. This place is about to become a war zone and, crazy as he is, he's too damn smart to be in the middle of it."_

The last bit of advice from Jake in their minds, Raven and Question leave the Johnston Apartments for a trek back across the Bay Bridge. The search continues for the vagrant vigilante while the city heads wildly towards a showdown between the two rival crime lords. For the young woman in the blue Shelby, it all pales in comparison to the fear that her friend might very well be long and dead... But there's always hope... always hope.

* * *

A/N2: Gar's missed more and more, and I don't think Raven's interest in him is entirely for romance either. If anything, she of all people understands that maybe Gar's just what this chaotic city realizes needs, not what it wants. Robin doesn't want Gar's brand of justice, the gangs will die for it, the city will earn a black eye, and people will fear him... but sometimes it takes a madman to set things straight: "Fear... is power."... ok, maybe she likes him _a little_ but let's not get too shippy, ok?

Trivia:  
- Arc is named after U2's "Stay (Faraway, So Close)"  
- Great Highway is the beachfront road on the Pacific side of San Fran

Rhetorical:  
I wonder if Bulletface has Daiyu around just for a second-in-command... or is it a "good business partnership" for the families?


	44. Chapter 44

A/N: I had an amazingly great weekend. Halloween party was a blast, maybe met a potential girlfriend, AND bowled my best game ever in bowling. I didn't want to rush back to this story because it takes a lot of emotionally dark intensity to write this draft and I didn't want to kill my great mood (trust me, I'm not happy often but I'm changing that as of last Saturday). I didn't realize just how dark this got until I sat down and read the last chapter.. wow.. I think I topped it though. There's a lot of things to keep an eye out on this chapter (a minor character's return, surprise developments, and someone gets killed). Almost every character in this chapter experiences some form of change.. I hope they all survive though. Part 2 of this mini-arc.

**Faraway, So Close...**

* * *

April 29, 2008.

If the sound of Darude's "Sandstorm" wasn't loud enough, maybe the sustained thump of dozens of people jumping on the dance floor could make it deafening. Club Insomnia, Jump City's sister club to Philadelphia's own club of the same name, is in full swing tonight as hundreds have turned out to break in the rising temperatures. Not that the blue-haired, Hawaiian-shirted man at the mix table isn't adding to it but even he seems to be swept into the beat.

... Up and down, left and right, women in clothes too short for sanity, men with more gel than a hair salon... The robust smell of sweat, cologne, hairspray, alcohol all pooling into the dozens of strobe lights, blue floods, and lasers.. Each beat of the bass woofers feels like a punch to the chest, rising slowly one second then assaulting the senses the next...

And the city's resident psychic goth happens to be walking right through the mess of it all. Still in her "civilian" disguise, her hands firmly in her pockets, she ignores the advances from several men with a glare that could freeze the Mojave. This isn't a social call, despite what the other Titans believe. They can enjoy this sort of venue, dance the night away with a smile and a groove, but this isn't the place for someone who values quiet and privacy over all else.

* * *

_"We couldn't figure out just where Gar would hide in Jump City for this long. As an animal maybe but not as a human being. Even Question's tracking device in Gar's holoring was gone, the signal lost back in October. That means he would've been in his normal, green skin rather than a holographic disguise. It was becoming just as big a nightmare as it was a terror growing in my heart. I knew that in the off-chance he wasn't dead, it meant that he might actually not be in Jump City. He may have left everything behind for good, all of us and the trouble, and found somewhere else to live._

_So, while the Titans lived up their night on the town, I found myself walking around the building in a daze of sorts. The Titans weren't told about my meeting with Dewalt or Question, Robin wouldn't let a second member of his team go rogue... Not that I would but it wasn't worth the argument he was sure to bring up. _

_With that, I just watched as Starfire whipped Robin around on the dance floor. He may act tough on the outside but he loves that woman, even if he does get used as a ragdoll when they dance. And they're not the only ones dancing out there. Argent seems to have taken a shine to Cyborg lately but I'm not too sure if Cy even realizes it. Out of the five of us, Jinx's death was hit hardest by him and it's taken some time for him to really start to let it go. If what he told me was true, he still had a soft spot for her even by the day she died... maybe Argent can help him move on._

_Nothing to do on the dance floor, I took a seat at the bar. Hand on my cheek, I could feel the stares of men all around me. All those stares and they wonder why I've chosen a life of solitude... Just looking at a piece of meat and they don't give a damn about the demon inside. It's the red side of me talking when I say the world would be better off without humanity but we all know that would be a lie... How about we just get rid of these lecherous pigs?_

_Old enough to buy alcohol though I'm sure the bartender would get it to me for free in return for my "phone number". Forget Robin's "no drink" rule, the situation was calling for it. My own friends pretend nothing's wrong, my other friend might be dead or worse, and there's always the risk of my dad coming back from Hell..."_

* * *

Peeking outside of their warehouse hideout, Boomerang looks to the sky with a frown forming on his face. "Looks like the rains are coming. Should be here by ten I'd say."

"Expecting rain?" Rouge asks beside him, a cigarette in her hand. Despite her French background, she's apparently left the cigarette holder behind.

"Not quite but my family's genes down under go way back. I didn't become so good at what I do by not having keen instincts."

A puff of smoke and an impressed look on her face "Rain detector AND master thief. Is there _nothing_ you cannot do?"

Frown growing deeper, Boomer suggests "I can't figure out why they haven't sent more people after us. I thought we had a price out on our head?"

"The Titans are pursuing us as well. It wouldn't do our criminal friends any favors to have one of their hitmen arrested again on live television."

Twirling one of his boomerangs in his gloved hand, this fact crosses the Aussie's mind and right back out. "Right point with that but it doesn't make it any less easier to take. Who knows how many other blokes these criminals have in the wings? Last time it was a religious nutball.. what if they got King Kong behind curtain #3?"

One last drag of her cigarette, the filter being thrown out onto the pavement, she assures him "If they try, we'll use Mumbo's folder against them."

As the woman departs, Boomer doesn't look too confident in that plan neither. "If that folder was so useful, why haven't we used it by now?"

* * *

_"If only Garfield could see me there. Not only was I wearing "normal" clothes but I also had a glass of his damned Jameson in my hand. After reading his journal so many times, I started to wonder just why the hell this drink kept appearing so frequently. Judging from the strong kick and creeping intoxicants, I can tell for sure just why. I still can claim to have had less than a pint of alcohol in my entire life but he was right: To the uninitiated, it can be a hell of an effect._

_But the moment I looked towards the back of the dance room, the drink and it's effects were totally forgotten. I didn't even notice the men trying to talk to me, the way the music changed to Usher, or even what the hundreds of people were doing to the emotional flow of the room. All I could see was the hat on the man's head. Red and yellow strands with white balls on the end... That sly smile, fake beach bum style of clothes.. exchanging hand-to-hand with some guests.. I wasn't even out of my stool when I forgot about the drink and the ten dollar bill I saved for more drink.._

* * *

In the dark confines of a basement, a poker table and copious amounts of drink abound. Thick smoke in the air, music on the radio, this venue seems not too far out of the type "Bulletface" Bryson would normally visit. With Mao, Daiyu, and various others around the table with cards, a good time is had between the group. Cigars imported from around the world in their ashtrays, the smell of bourbon and sake blending together to form a genuine good-feel atmosphere.

"Look, it's not that I have anything _against_ Chinese food, Mao." Bryson remarks with two cards being tossed onto the table. "If anything I think it's cool there's so many varieties."

"But what is the issue then?" Mao asks, picking up a few cards himself.

"It's like this. There's noodles but they're not _real_ noodles. You can get a cookie but it's not a _real_ cookie. And no matter what you say, I still think the meat isn't what's advertised. The last time I checked, duck isn't supposed to have whiskers in it."

"If you intend to be so prejudiced against my race, Mr. Bryson, you would be so wise as to keep it to yourself." A long puff from his own cigar, he counters sharply "But I myself am not above such remarks. So, I propose that your American food is, in fact, distasteful and rude."

Daiyu's eyes roll a bit, her own glass of brown liquor demanding her attention for a moment. "Here we go again.."

"Hey now, let him talk Daiyu." Bryson suggests, leaning back in the chair. "Tell me, Mao, what do you find distasteful about my country's cuisine?"

"_Cuisine_ is not the word I would choose to describe it. All the excess fats, oils, grease, and chemically-altered pesticides... There is a reason a growing majority of this population has grown so large and unhealthy in so short a time."

"I can't deny that, good sir, but I'm betting it's all just jealousy because we've grown taller than you."

Stepping in, Daiyu remarks to both men "As the sole woman here, let me point out that both of you are far from truly fit. Too many spare ribs have made you large, Mao. And all the alcoholic drinks haven't produced you any six-pack ribs, have they Bryson?"

Exchanging a look of surprise between them, both Mao and Bryson take a sip of their respective drinks almost in toast of the woman's slick comeback.

"Excuse me, sir." The voice of a man in a black suit cuts through the fine air.

"Yeah?" Bulletface retorts back, the man's meekness isn't the best thing given the interruption and his rising blood alcohol level.

"We... we just got a phone call from the JCPD. It's about your family living in North Jump.."

Quick as a blink, Bulletface is up on his feet, inches from the man's face, and nearly snarling in rage. "You got a WHAT? WHAT DID YOU GET? You got a PHONE CALL about some of my cousins in NORTH JUMP?"

Bowing back a moment, the man nervously shakes his head in agreement. "Yes.. they.. they said there was an accident and.."

"What kind of accident?"

"A house fire.. They were inside.. at least that's what the JCPD said.. they got a phone call about it but... it was too late.."

"An accident, huh?" Looking to Mao and Daiyu, the incredulous look on his face speaks of a man about to explode like a volcano. "An ACCIDENT?" Removing his pistol from his chair-bound jacket, he shoots the man in the foot. Screams of pain are muffled by the lower-level ceilings and Bulletface screams back at the anguished henchman's face. "THAT was an accident, shit for brains! THIS GUN going off in YOUR foot was an ACCIDENT! You know WHY? Because if it were intentional..." Raising the gun between the man's eyes... "then THIS is what ON PURPOSE feels like!"

The final sound of a gunshot is the last thing this messenger will ever hear.. or feel in his life.

* * *

"So.. you come around often?" The cheesy line from Jester is enough to make Raven gag...

Fake, almost salesman-like smile, Raven maintains the illusion. There's something worthwhile to gain from this and we're not talking about drugs or a date. "Yeah... every once.. in awhile."

"I hear DJ Blue Thunder up there's from Philly. Then again I also heard you could fall into a rabbit hole."

Boom, there's the pickup she was waiting for. "Is that an Alice in Wonderland joke or just a fast-talking rabbit reference?"

"Hey, I'm not one for droppin' down the hole myself. But I hear you can have a bitchin' time when you dance with the Red Queen and her friends."

"Didn't she say "off with your head?"" This prick deserves to die, doesn't he? Keep it together, don't snap... He's only the one who gave Gar the drug in the first place...

A grin on his face, Jester answers "Nah, that was the English. And they didn't invent the white rabbit, they just made that horrible Gin and Tea shit no one likes."

For a second, it almost looks like one of her violent eyes twitches at the reference to tea.. Oh the trouble people put them through. Still, maintaining her composure, she asks suddenly "Look, I'm not much of a rabbithead myself." Maybe the drug user term will make him speed things up. "I happen to have a few friends who've been looking for a reliable guy to find it from."

"I'm always looking out for future business. Times have been tough as of late, you know? All these gangs going loco and shit."

Time to drive home this horrible performance. With a brush of her hair out of her eyes, she turns to him with as forced an "attractive" glance as possible. "Think you could do this big favor for me? Could you hook them up?"

There's that smile on his face, that "I'm gonna score big" smile that just begs a fist to the skull. "For you babe, anything. Who you got in mind?"

Leaning closer to him, she suggests "Give me your cell number and I'll make sure you get paid. Trust me, make these guys happy and I'll make sure _you'll_ be happier for it."

...

Minutes later, the deal concluded, Raven walks away from the dealer with a look of revulsion on her face. The phone number now finds itself stored on her communicator but there's NO WAY she'll be using it for anything other than evidence. Robin and the others might not be aware that Jester's here but maybe it's someone Question or Jake would like to talk to.

And the revulsion on her face turns to slightly down, sad almost. The man that turned Gar into what he became just got away yet again... He won't slip away a third time. Alive or not, she'll make sure that bastard gets his well and deserving fate.

* * *

Near the entrance to the Bay Bridge, North Jump side, Marin stands by the door of his car with his phone by his ear. Rose sits inside, tapping her hand to the beat of a radio tune, ignoring the faint smell of gasoline on their vehicle...

_"Marin?"_

"Yeah, it's me. We did what you asked. That house went up like a box of matches. No one got out of there."

_"Are you sure?"_

Looking back at the car, he notices Rose's unusually calm face despite the finger tapping on the shoulder rest. "I'm positive. She didn't leave anyone to argue with."

_"Good. I want you two back home as soon as possible. Bryson probably already knows about it by now."_

"Will do. By the way, I got a phone call from one of our boys. They say they're closing in on the Fatal Four's hideout. Are you sure you still want one?"

_"One will do. Make sure they keep this quiet, understand? We'll be busy with Bryson, we don't need those other three going batshit until they get us what we need, got it?"_

"I understand. We'll be home in thirty."

_"Good. See you at home."_

Hanging up, Marin exhales a bit from the pent-up tension. Things are getting WAY out of control.. And looking at Rose's face, now looking back at his, Marin can't help but wonder if things are gonna collapse at this rate. Her smile might just be the first inkling of something very wrong about to go down in this city... Especially when that smile is something fit for an asylum rather than a photo shoot.

* * *

By ten, the last of the Fatal Four to be awake are Firefly and Doctor Light. And unlike Firefly, Light feels a need to check the coast just one more time. The Aussie and Rouge might be willing to sleep while the world closes in on them but he'll be damned if he's caught off-guard. Firefly's lack of true social skills is enough to warrant moving to the back door to ease his tension.

...

The rains have come, just as Boomerang said. The lightning shouldn't be too far away either. It's funny how things always get worse even when things are bad to begin with.

Even more ironic as the black sky above turns totally black as a hood is pulled over his head, muffling his voice for a moment before something hard strikes the back of his head. Unconscious, the body of Arthur Light falls to the ground while the first cracks of lightning begin to pierce the sky.

* * *

All across the Bay Area, the city finds itself in restful sleep by three in the morning. Despite the lightning still bursting overhead, most of Jump's residents are tucked away in bed. The Titans, Raven, even the gangs find peace within the confines of their beds.

At a certain apartment in North Jump, Jake has his arms wrapped around the sleeping figure of his girlfriend, breathing easy with the night rains. Time and again the lightning illuminates the room but hardly a soul notices this fact.

One particularly loud crash of lightning is enough to stir Jake away, his instincts probably guessing it to be a gunshot rather than a bolt of electricity. Releasing his girlfriend, he leans over the side of his bed and stretches. Some water might help..

With tired eyes, the kitchen light is flipped on and Jake's heartbeat misses at least two beats.

... Sitting at the table, the ragged-clothed form of a man sits at the table, readily eating from a can of some unseen food. Stopping at the gasp, the figure turns to Jake Dewalt. Those dark, bottomless green orbs stare back with all the emptiness of a raven on a bust of Pallas. Voice scratchy and hoarse, he speaks.

"Been awhile, Jake. Get coffee, we need to talk."

* * *

A/N2: HE'S BACK! And trust me, you think he was bad before he left.. Hehe.. There's a certain twisted section of my mind that's been salavating at writing this version of Gar and it's about to be unleashed. Still, besides the vagrant's return, there's also Bulletface killing another henchment, Jester's now truly on Raven's shitlist, and I'm wondering just how into this "war" Marin really is.. because it seems Rose's sanity might not survive it.

Trivia:  
- Darude's "Sandstorm" is featured here.  
- (Mini-note) As with Jake/Rebecca (their story I never published being pulled into this), I'm pulling another story (I have published) into this. "DJ Blue Thunder" and "Club Insomnia" (from Philly) are from a story of mine over on . Non-Titan related but I didn't want to write "Blue's Place" or "Zenn" again.  
- I think Bulletface's duck reference might actually be the same guy Gar wrote about earlier in Arc 3.  
- Gar's return was meant to look like Rorschach's first appearance with Dan in "Watchmen"

Rhetorical:  
There was another way Gar was gonna be revealed. I decided to blend it a bit. Wait until you hear where he's been!


	45. End of first half

After discussions with my co-writer, I've decided that Chapter 44 would be a good place to wrap up the first half of Redux: Watchman. A good cliffhanger to keep in suspense for more.

But that "more" will have to wait until after the holidays. I'm working a full 40-hours, been having a great time since coming out of depression, and my spare time is either spent on the road or having fun. At this time, I don't want to just drag out another chapter if it's not going to have that "Watchman" emotion to it. I can't "force" emotion, you've all seen what happens when I do.

By winter, after New Year's, Redux: Watchman Mk. II will be started. I thank you all for staying with me this far, I haven't forgotten about you or this series, but after six months of writing through depression, I'd like to have some time away from this story.

See you in 2011!

Thank you, everyone,  
EVL


End file.
